Data, the lifeblood of modern democracies, can also be their undoing when exploited by bad actors to spread misinformation. At a time when democracy itself is on the ballot in many countries, governments must ensure that truth prevails by investing in the creation of robust data infrastructure.
LONDON – This historic election year, during which voting will have taken place in countries that account for half of the world’s population, has underscored a grim reality: truth is under attack. Whether it is former US President Donald Trump spreading lies about the federal response to Hurricane Helene, far-right politicians in Hungary claiming their opponents intend to start World War III, or the proliferation of artificial-intelligence-generated deepfakes, a torrent of misinformation is making it difficult for voters to distinguish fact from fiction, eroding the very foundation of democratic governance.
