The Impact of Social Media and AI on Democracy in the 2024 Election

The upcoming 2024 election cycle, both in the United States and globally, will have significant implications for democracies, children's futures, and the global leadership role of the United States. The impact of social media platforms and big tech companies on democracy will be amplified in this election year, especially with the rise of AI tools. Concerns arise due to the ease of generating believable fake videos, audio, and text using AI. Trust and safety divisions at platforms like Twitter and Facebook have been gutted, leaving them ill-equipped to control misinformation. The social media industry, as a whole, needs to be held accountable for the spread of misinformation and the risks it poses to democracy. Public awareness, staffing up trust and safety divisions, and increased regulation are crucial to mitigate the worst outcomes.