Internet freedom takes a hit during global elections, report finds
Nov 4, 2024
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Allie Funk leads Freedom House's technology and democracy initiative, championing internet freedom and human rights. She discusses alarming trends in internet censorship and misinformation during global elections, each worsening for 14 years. Funk highlights authoritarian tactics in countries like Pakistan and contrasts them with successful strategies from Taiwan and South Africa. The conversation dives into the need for transparency from governments and tech companies, especially with the looming U.S. Election Day, emphasizing the fight against political disinformation.
The decline in internet freedom is alarming, as governments increasingly impose restrictions and manipulate content during elections worldwide.
Innovative models from Taiwan and South Africa demonstrate effective ways to combat misinformation while preserving free expression during electoral processes.
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Global Internet Freedom Concerns
The state of internet freedom worldwide is deteriorating, with significant restrictions observed in many countries during elections. Governments are increasingly censoring information by shutting down platforms, as seen in Pakistan, where internet access was cut off to suppress political rallies. Additionally, there has been a rise in disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining trust in democratic processes, particularly in countries like the U.S., which, despite ranking relatively high in internet freedom, faces challenges with misinformation and harassment against election officials. Reports indicate a troubling trend of online misinformation eroding public confidence in elections, requiring urgent attention and action to protect democratic integrity.
Promising Approaches to Content Moderation
Innovative models have emerged in countries like Taiwan and South Africa to effectively manage online content while safeguarding free expression. Taiwan's approach includes an inclusive fact-checking platform run by volunteers, which bolsters public trust in its findings, alongside laws allowing candidates to have harmful deepfakes removed from social media. South Africa pairs civil society with its Election Commission to assess flagged content from voters, promoting community participation in identifying misinformation. These collaborative efforts highlight a balanced strategy to regulate harmful content while respecting democratic values, offering potential lessons for other nations grappling with similar challenges.
In case you forgot, we’ve got Election Day tomorrow. But it was also a big year for elections in the rest of the world. About half of the global population is voting in national elections in 2024, and in many countries people have encountered shut down internet, blocked websites or manipulated content online, according to a recent report from the nonprofit Freedom House. Allie Funk leads Freedom House’s technology and democracy initiative, and she told Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino this is the 14th consecutive year the report has documented a decline in human rights online.
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