Disinfo Docket 22 July
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Highlights
- Online political ads lack transparency. Here's why journalists should care. (IJNet, 17 July)
- We unleashed Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms on blank accounts. They served up sexism and misogyny (Guardian, 20 July)
In 2020 I led a study on gendered abuse and disinfo against women political candidates. We found 336k pieces of abuse & disinfo targeting 13 candidates; 78% of that targeted Kamala Harris. After Biden’s endorsement, here are some narratives and tropes we should look out for: (1/)
— Nina Jankowicz (@wiczipedia) July 21, 2024
Some moments in politics we can predict, many we can’t. This week, we can predict lies & conspiracies will circulate about Kamala Harris. The misinformation will be laced with gender-based attacks. And it won’t be new. Stay alert for online harms. Some tips below. More soon. 1/3
— Roberta Braga (@RobertaSBraga) July 21, 2024
1. Platforms & Technology
- Meta joins Apple in withholding AI models from EU users (AI News, 18 July)
Meta
- Instagram teens are regularly recommended sexual and explicit videos, new report finds (Mashable, 20 June)
- New case to assess how Meta moderates content in African countries criminalising same-sex relationships (Oversight Board, 16 July)
- Nigeria fines Meta $220 million over data violations (DW, 20 July)
- Why Meta's decision on 'Zionists' as a proxy for Jews matters (Jerusalem Post, 21 July)
X (Twitter)
- Elon Musk’s X tests letting users request Community Notes on bad posts (Ars Technica, 19 July)
- X is developing a tool to block links in replies to cut down on spam (Mashable, 20 July)
2. Russia & Ukraine
- ‘They tried to make us Russians’: the children Putin stole (Times, 20 July)
- Poland calls on EU to stress ties with U.S. to counter Russian 'disinformation' (Reuters, 20 July)