With the upcoming elections in numerous countries including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Taiwan, the European parliament, and other democracies across Europe, Asia, and Africa in 2024, a significant portion of the global population will be participating in casting their votes next year. However, the timing of this political activity coincides with a surge in online misinformation and concerns about the potential impact of AI-generated content. While generative AI holds promise for various sectors such as healthcare, scientific research, education, and more, its maturation also poses challenges related to misinformation and disinformation. Even the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has expressed concern about this issue. Given the magnitude of political activity worldwide in the coming year, the risks and challenges associated with misinformation cannot be overstated. Recent research conducted by Logically Facts involving over 6, 000 online users in the United States, United Kingdom, and India has revealed that approximately 72 percent of respondents agree that society and politics are undermined by inaccurate and false information circulating through traditional media and social media channels. This concern extends to various aspects of public life, including the climate crisis, public safety during emergencies, healthcare decisions, and especially elections with the circulation of false information on the internet. These concerns regarding misinformation's negative impact on public life can be attributed to a broader erosion of trust. The same study found that a significant majority of people lack trust not only in mainstream media and social media platforms but also in their own ability to distinguish fact from fiction. Trust in mainstream media outlets and public service broadcasters, for example, stands at only 13 percent, while platforms like Facebook are considered trustworthy by only 9 percent of online users. Surprisingly, nearly a quarter of the respondents (22 percent) stated that they trust no sources when presented with over 10 social media platforms. This lack of trust seems to lead to self-doubt, with around one in six individuals admitting that they do not trust their own ability to discern the truth from falsehoods on the internet. Although the internet has greatly expanded access to information and enabled its easy dissemination, the task of differentiating between truth and falsehood is becoming increasingly challenging. As a result, nearly a quarter of people trust no sources, and a similar proportion lack trust in their own judgment. Various countermeasures have been evolving, such as platform-level changes in algorithms and legal frameworks. Fact-checking on platforms, which involves methodically verifying the accuracy of public statements, images, and news stories circulating online, has also seen progress.

It is crucial to note that fact-checking is not about stifling opinions but ensuring the truthfulness of information. The research highlights that a majority of people desire social media companies and media organizations to take more action in combating misinformation. Six out of ten respondents (61 percent) believe that social media companies and media organizations could do more, particularly in terms of fact-checking and verification. Only a small proportion (10 percent) believes that these companies should not engage in fact-checking. Moreover, a majority of online users (55 percent) are more likely to trust a social media platform that employs fact-checking. Despite progress in this field, the evolving landscape of AI-generated content continues to pose threats, necessitating further measures. One approach to address these challenges lies in promoting greater media literacy, empowering individuals to become critical consumers of online content. Enhancing media literacy does not involve dictating people's thoughts but equipping them with the necessary tools and skills to think critically. It entails asking questions about the origin and purpose of information, among others. This is vital because even with effective content filtering, users will still encounter and consume various content, necessitating the ability to engage with it critically. While the research indicates that the majority of online users are confident in their media literacy (84 percent trust their ability to differentiate fact from fiction), there is room for improvement. Users are more likely to search the internet (47 percent) to seek or verify information rather than solely relying on their own judgment, and even consult friends (28 percent), suggesting a hesitation to trust themselves entirely. While progress has been made through media literacy programs, continued efforts are required to provide users with the necessary tools and overcome misperceptions that these programs aim to indoctrinate rather than foster critical thinking. It is crucial to recognize that media literacy, along with other measures to combat misinformation, is not a panacea. However, when employed collectively, they can help rebuild trust and foster a healthier, vibrant, and robust public discourse. Considering the importance of this issue for the health of democracy, addressing these challenges becomes paramount not only in 2024 but also in the years to come. Baybars Orsek, the managing director at Logically Facts, a tech company combining AI and human expertise to tackle misinformation, previously served as the director of international programming and fact-checking at the Poynter Institute.