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Do we need an AI 'kill switch'?

Claire O'Connell hosts a discussion on AI and digital propaganda with media historians Nelson Riviero and Professor Aphra Kerr. 

They highlight the prevalence and hyper-personalisation of digital propaganda, which polarises public discourse and undermines democracy. AI accelerates the creation and dissemination of disinformation, often targeting specific demographics. Recent events in Ireland and Spain exemplify this, with false narratives spreading rapidly. Both experts stress the need for media literacy, early education, and regulatory action to combat this threat. 

They also discuss the role of universities in training students in both tech and ethics, and the importance of a multi-faceted approach to counter digital propaganda effectively.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

●	AI's Role in Digital Propaganda
●	Impact on Democratic Processes
●	Media Literacy and Education
●	Targeted Disinformation Strategies
●	Regulation and Platform Accountability


GUEST DETAILS

Aphra Kerr is Full Professor of Digital Media & Communication and a senior adviser at the UCD Centre for Digital Policy. She is an adjunct Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University and a co-PI at the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre for AI and Digital Content Technology. 

Vice-Rector for Transformation, Collaboration and International Affairs at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Dr. Ribeiro coordinates the Doctoral Program in Communication Sciences and the research group “Media Narratives and Cultural Memory” at the Center for Communication and Culture Studies ( CECC). He was the Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences between 2016 and 2025


MORE INFORMATION

You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ 

Adapt Radio is produced by https://dustpod.io for the Adapt Centre
For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie


QUOTES

Negative content often drives engagement, and then the algorithms will actually boost that even more - Professor Aphra Kerr

The role that AI is playing… is that it actually helps speed up the process of creating propaganda content. - Professor Nelson Ribero

Younger generations… they know how to use those tools, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they understand how those tools work. - Professor Nelson Ribero

You can’t fight propaganda with propaganda — you fight propaganda with education and media literacy. - Professor Nelson Ribero

Media literacy isn’t about blaming individuals — it’s about equipping people to navigate a complex digital world. - Professor Aphra Kerr



KEYWORDS
#DigitalPropaganda #AIDisinformation #MediaLiteracy #AlgorithmManipulation #ElectionInterference #SocialMedia #TargetedMessaging #TechnologicalEthics #Democracy #Misinformation

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