Can digital disinformation influence the outcome of elections? This suspicion has been raised since the 2016 US presidential election. But as fundamental as the question is, answering it is proving tricky, says psychologist Josephine Schmitt.
The interview on Spektrum.de sheds light on the effects and challenges of digital disinformation on democratic processes. It shows how false information and manipulative campaigns in social media can influence citizens’ voting decisions and which psychological mechanisms play a role in this.