Quillette Narrated The New Information Wars
Dec 9, 2025
Dive into the world of generative AI and its role in flooding the internet with disinformation. Explore how regulations aimed at combating misinformation might lead to harmful censorship. Discover Australia's controversial social media ban for those under 16, and the unintended consequences on teen safety. Delve into privacy risks from strict verification laws in the UK. Finally, consider the importance of transparency, civic education, and open debate in preserving democracy amid these technological challenges.
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AI Lowers The Barrier To Disinformation
- Generative AI has drastically lowered the barrier to creating convincing false content like deepfakes and fabricated news.
- What once required coordinated propagandists can now be done by a single non-technical individual.
Australia's Under‑16 Social Media Ban
- Australia passed a law banning under-16s from social media as a blunt safety measure.
- The law risks pushing teens into unmoderated browsing, undermining safety tools and parental controls.
UK Age Rules Risk Surveillance Creep
- The UK Online Safety Act forces strict age verification across many sites, raising privacy and surveillance concerns.
- Legislating universal proof-of-age can create data risks and treat adults as subjects to be monitored.
