ABSTRACT
An army marches on its stomach, said Napoleon. What fuelled insurrectionists in Washington DC on January 6, 2021, was an off-menu medley of misinformation, online tactical coordination and holiday rental bookings. The would-be revolutionaries were unfettered by reason, regulators or tech platforms. Though few in absolute numbers, they grew their traction by algorithmic amplification in social media. To combat their misinformation, taking down accounts has worked, but next generation AI technologies raise new threats. To borrow a Trumpism, if you don’t fight like hell, civil society could soon again be at risk, says Said Business School’s Alex Connock
