ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between information shared on social media and its impact on democracy and conflict. This chapter surveys the evidence that social media may contribute both to democracy and social cohesion, and to authoritarianism and worsening polarisation. Scholars argue that functioning participatory democracies require an informed populace. This chapter begins by reviewing the argument that social media contributes to “netizens” and “cyberdemocracy”. The chapter then explores how social media contributes to information pollution, rumour cascades, misinformation and disinformation. These “information disorders” undermine democracy and contribute to polarisation. The chapter describes the role of social media in the spread of violent extremist ideologies and political propaganda as information warfare. Authoritarian governments use social media to surveil and undermine political opponents, including human rights and democracy activists. Authoritarian governments hire or organise troll armies, cyber brigades and digital militias to set up fake accounts and to operate bots that run mass propaganda operations. This chapter maps the opportunities and threats related to social media’s impact on democracy and conflict.
