Misinformation and disinformation can radically disrupt electoral processes in several economies over the next two years, according to a report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

On the one hand, misinformation refers to the dissemination or disclosure of incorrect, false or misleading information, whether intentional or unintentional.

On the other hand, disinformation is a more specific form of information manipulation that involves the deliberate dissemination of false information with the intent to mislead, confuse or influence public opinion. 

According to the report, a growing distrust of information, as well as of media and governments as sources, will deepen polarized opinions, a vicious cycle that could trigger civil unrest and possibly confrontation. 

There is a risk of repression and erosion of rights as authorities seek to crack down on the proliferation of misinformation, as well as risks from inaction.

Misinformation

The disruptive capabilities of manipulated information are accelerating rapidly, as open access to increasingly sophisticated technologies proliferates and trust in information and institutions deteriorates. 

The report states that over the next two years, a broad set of actors will capitalize on the rise of synthetic content, amplifying social divisions, ideological violence and political repression, ramifications that will persist well beyond the short term. 

Both misinformation and disinformation are among the top global risks. 

User-friendly interfaces to large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) models, which no longer require a specialized skill set, have already enabled an explosion of falsified information and so-called «synthetic» content, from sophisticated voice cloning to spoofed websites.

Content

To combat the growing risks, governments are beginning to implement new and evolving regulations targeting both hosts and creators of disinformation and illegal online content.

The nascent regulation of generative AI will likely complement these efforts. 

For example, requirements in China to watermark AI-generated content may help identify false information, including unintentional misinformation via AI hallucinated content.

Overall, however, the speed and effectiveness of regulation is unlikely to match the pace of development.