14 August 2024, Wednesday – In this hybrid seminar held at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, panellists consisting of various experts from academia, government and industry discussed disinformation and misinformation in recent political campaigns in Southeast Asia, across three plenary sessions.
MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY HYBRID SEMINAR
- Panel 1: Online Political Campaigning: Information Operations and Their Impact discussed how information is shared, censored, and regulated by governments, politicians, media platforms and civil society during elections, across different countries.
- Panel 2: Evolving Technologies and Their Impact on the Electoral Information Space explored the effects of technologies like AI-generated deep fakes and encrypted messaging apps on electoral information and voter perceptions. It also examined voters’ responses to AI-driven disinformation campaigns and the ongoing evolution of these technologies.
- Panel 3: Reality Checks: Challenges and Limitations of Existing Approaches to Counter Mis/Disinformation in Elections examined the efforts of various actors to combat dis/misinformation during elections, highlighting their challenges and limitations. It also addressed the accountability of social and digital media platforms in managing the spread of disinformation and the role of “bad actors” online.
The hybrid seminar was attended in person by a physical audience of around 50 people, and an online audience of close to 80 people. Each plenary session included a Q&A segment where the panellists answered questions from the audience relating to the topics discussed.
Panel 1 – Online Political Campaigning: Information Operations and Their Impact
The panel featured ISEAS Visiting Fellows Dr Aries Arugay, and Dr Surachanee Sriyai, as well as the Digital Media Coordinator for the Prabowo-Gibran presidential campaign, Mr Noudhy Valdryno. They discussed their country’s experiences (the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, respectively) with the evolving dynamics of online political campaigning in Southeast Asia, focusing on the recent elections that took place in each country.
Dr Aries Arugay presented an analysis of online election campaigning in the Philippines, with a focus on the 2022 presidential election. He delved into how digital disinformation, influencers, and social media platforms shaped the political landscape of the country, as well as the factors that made the Philippines especially vulnerable to such tactics.
Dr Surachanee Sriyai provided a comprehensive analysis of how political parties in Thailand utilised social media in the lead-up to the 2023 general elections. She highlighted that while traditional campaigning methods were a mainstay for many parties, platforms like X and TikTok were becoming increasingly influential, particularly among younger voters and progressive political parties. Moreover, she noted a limited spread of misinformation during Thailand’s 2023 elections, attributing it to a combination of strict electoral laws and high stakes for the political parties involved.
Mr Noudhy Valdryno outlined the evolution of campaign strategies across Prabowo Subianto’s three presidential bids (2013, 2018, 2024). He emphasised the shift in 2024 towards leveraging digital tools and AI to better connect with a young, tech-savvy electorate, as well as counter misinformation. He shared that Prabowo-Gibran’s 2024 campaign marked a departure from the combative tactics of previous campaigns (such as their 2013 campaign), focusing instead on positivity, digital innovation, and influencer partnerships.
The panel ended with a Q&A covering several topics: the competitive nature of campaigning and whether candidates in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines learn from each other; the balance between promoting a candidate and countering misinformation by political campaign teams; the state of digital literacy education; and the recruitment and motivations of cyber troops. Additionally, questions were raised about the role of social media budgets in political campaigns, relative to other advertising costs.
Panel 2 – Evolving Technologies and Their Impact on the Electoral Information Space
This panel featured ISEAS Visiting Fellows Dr Maria Monica Wihardja, Dr Surachanee Sriyai and Dr Nuurrianti Jalli, as well as Ms Julia Voo from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The panellists discussed how evolving technologies such as AI-generated deep fakes, encrypted end-to-end messaging apps and botnets affect the electoral information space.
Dr Maria Monica Wihardja presented a detailed analysis of a nationwide panel survey of Indonesian voters during the run-up to the 2024 Indonesian presidential election, with a focus on the role of misinformation, disinformation, and election propaganda in shaping voter behaviour. Her findings were based on a statistical analysis from a two-wave national panel survey. They highlighted the salience of selective exposure and selective belief among voters with strong loyalties to the various presidential candidates, and the effects of disinformation narratives on the perception and voting behaviour of swing voters.
Dr Surachanee Sriyai explored the significant effects of misinformation within online political groups in Thailand, specifically focusing on the role of Facebook and other social media platforms in increasing susceptibility to fake news and disinformation. She highlighted how factors such as tribalism and the private nature of end-to-end encrypted messaging apps created an environment where false information could spread unchecked in Thailand.
Dr Nuurrianti Jalli presented her research on AI-related political myths and disinformation across Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Her presentation delved into AI’s role in creating and disseminating political disinformation and misinformation during recent elections in these nations. She shared that while AI-related misinformation was an emerging issue, it had yet to become dominant in Southeast Asia. However, the potential for misuse would be a growing issue over time with increased accessibility, necessitating robust and adaptive policies as well as regional cooperation to mitigate any negative impacts.
Ms Julia Voo explored the evolving landscape of information operations, particularly focusing on the intersection of AI and psychological operations through methods such as using botnets and generative AI to create and spread misinformation online. She addressed the broader implications of these activities beyond election periods, highlighting the need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to mitigate the negative impacts of such information operations, which includes continuous investment in technology (such as using “good botnets” to counter misinformation) and human resources, as well as establishing robust public-private partnerships.
The panel concluded with a Q&A session. The questions raised include inquiries about the impact of misinformation on the overseas diaspora of Southeast Asian countries, such as individuals commenting on political issues from exile. One participant asked if there had been past legal precedents of companies or individuals being taken to court for spreading fake news. Another participant inquired about the methodology of Dr Wihardja’s survey, as well as Ms Voo’s suggestion that botnets could be used to combat misinformation, given that the term “botnet” carried negative connotations associated with manipulation.
Panel 3 – Reality Checks: Challenges and Limitations of Existing Approaches to Counter Mis/Disinformation in Elections
The panel featured Dr Masato Kajimoto, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Hong Kong; Dr Benjamin Loh, ISEAS Visiting Fellow; Mr Beltsazar Krisetya from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia; and Ms Meg Chang, Meta’s Content Regulation Policy Manager and Head of APAC. They explored the underlying factors enabling the proliferation of misinformation, assessed various ongoing efforts to combat disinformation and misinformation during elections, and discussed the responsibility and efforts of digital media platforms in moderating online spaces.
Dr Masato Kajimoto addressed the complexities surrounding misinformation and disinformation, questioning their impact on societal events and proposing a broader perspective on intervention strategies. He highlighted the importance of a reality check and evidence-based discussions on the actual impact of misinformation and disinformation, arguing that it was vital to understand and address the underlying factors (e.g. polarisation and pre-existing prejudices) causing people to believe fake news.
Dr Benjamin Loh presented his research findings on media and political literacy in Malaysia. He shared that media literacy in Malaysia is more robust than often assumed due to the presence of long-standing online communities resistant to astroturfing as well as most Malaysian netizens using basic fact-checking methods to verify information. However, issues such as low political literacy and online communities’ susceptibility to polarising political and social rhetoric persist as challenges to be addressed.
Mr Beltsazar Krisetya analysed the limitations encountered by Indonesia’s civil society during the 2024 Indonesian presidential election. He underscored the need for updated strategies from civil society organisations to deal with electoral misinformation, highlighting that their outdated approach and insufficient engagement with fact-checking organisations revealed a critical gap in combating political misinformation in Indonesia. He also highlighted the importance of better cooperation between government, industry and civil society organisations to combat political disinformation more effectively.
Ms Meg Chang provided a comprehensive overview of Meta’s approach to ensuring content safety and election integrity during election periods for countries around the world, highlighting the large number of bot accounts banned by Meta’s moderation team, and the budget allocated to improving content moderation processes. She reaffirmed Meta’s commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral environment through robust policy frameworks, advanced enforcement mechanisms, as well as significant investments in technology and human resources.
During the Q&A session, questions raised include challenges in applying AI tools for content moderation in non-English languages, the need for multi-level governance strategies to address the root causes of societal polarisation beyond just addressing its online manifestations, the relationship between disinformation and existing polarisation (such as racism and xenophobia), and whether international regulations or local governance are more effective in tackling such issues. Additionally, there was interest in how Meta planned to prepare for Singapore’s upcoming elections, particularly in terms of content moderation and collaboration with political parties to ensure a free and fair election.