The COVID-19 pandemic has called attention to the threat that disinformation poses to liberal democracies across the globe, according to a think tank report.
The paper, published today, reveals the hateful agendas and public health conspiracy theories that have rose in response to the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic. This includes Islamists’ undermining legitimate democratic governments, far-right extremists promulgating anti-freedom narratives, and anti-vaccination propaganda causing vaccine hesitancy among Britain’s ethnic and religious minorities.
The author, Dr Alan Mendoza, highlights the UK government’s guidelines and laws regarding disinformation, such as the Online Safety Bill.
In response to the UK government’s disinformation-related actions to date, Dr Mendoza concludes with a series of recommendations:
- The UK government must redefine ‘disinformation’ in its Online Safety Bill to capture its clear motives and appropriate formats.
- The UK government should invest in more resources to combat the threat of disinformation.
- Ofcom should receive funding from the UK government to ensure that it can effectively monitor claims of disinformation.
- Social media companies must provide greater transparency regarding how they monitor and respond to disinformation.
- The UK government should create an apparatus that combats disinformation within its education system.
- The establishment of a long-term “trust-building” project is needed to support Britain’s ethno-racial minorities.