Tucson Standard

American elections in the digital age present challenges, including the spread of misinformation and disinformation. University of Arizona experts have discussed these issues, emphasizing that there are no simple solutions.

Diana Daly, an associate professor at the College of Information Science, explained the difference between misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation is false information shared without intent to deceive, while disinformation is deliberately false information spread to mislead. "Today," Daly noted, "these are often mixed and spread together."

A recent example involved a false claim about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. The claim was amplified by former President Donald Trump during a presidential debate. Although debunked by media outlets and local police, the narrative persisted due to underlying truths about immigration issues and racial stereotypes. Daly commented on this complexity: "Those conclusions were false, but they were based on real situations and feelings."

Michael McKisson, another expert from the College of Information Science, highlighted challenges posed by AI-generated media. An instance involved a robocall mimicking President Joe Biden's voice before Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy. The Federal Communications Commission has since banned AI-generated voices in robocalls.

McKisson emphasized that deep fakes represent a modern version of media manipulation: "When you're talking about politics... that's where things really become a problem." He stressed skepticism as essential for voters navigating political information.

Both experts agree there are no easy fixes for these issues. While tech tools like Google's reverse image search can help detect AI-generated content, McKisson warned against relying solely on technology: "All that becomes is a technological arms race."

Instead, voters should approach political information critically and be aware that misinformation is likely here to stay. McKisson advised against reacting emotionally or sharing hastily: "We're not going to solve it; we're going to combat it."

Daly suggested addressing these challenges requires societal effort and openness to diverse beliefs: "We should be focusing our open-hearted talk at everyone."