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8,000 Enroll in New Course on Freedom of Expression, AI and Elections
While AI brings benefits such as cost reduction and instant responses, its potential misuse poses significant risks, particularly in spreading disinformation, misinformation and hate speech through social media.
These concerns are central to a new multilingual . Developed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Knight Center at the University of Texas, Austin, with support from the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs in New York, the course has drawn over 8,000 participants from 165 countries.
These participants include members of Electoral Management Bodies, representatives of civil society organizations, journalists and academics, all aiming to promote information integrity and democratic institutions.
Available in , , , and the MOOC featured insights from high-level UN experts, civil society organizations and electoral regulators on how to address the challenges posed by emerging technologies affecting the information ecosystem and freedom of expression during elections.
As a specialist in electoral issues, the course gave me a better understanding of what AI is and how it contributes to disinformation or misinformation during the electoral process. Beyond that, it has prepared me to take on a more important role to raise awareness of the consequences of AI and guide on its advantages and good practices.
What I learned was very enriching. In Ecuador, there is not yet a very deep knowledge about AI, and how it is influencing today's generation. Having learned these very interesting topics during the MOOC awakened my curiosity about the good use that I could give not only to me but to every person in any area of everyday life.
Protecting freedom of expression and access to information remains essential for the enabling of human rights. When information is accurate and accessible and the media is open and plural, elections remain free and fair. However, in the digital era and with the rise of AI, electoral processes worldwide face new challenges of “4 V” : the of information. This shift in the way information is produced, disseminated and received gives rise to real-world consequences, such as the during elections and the rise of e.
I found the content of this course highly relevant. This is even more applicable considering that my country (Nigeria) recently witnessed one of the most competitive presidential elections in recent times in which AI played a major role - positively and negatively - in shaping the opinions of voters. Having learned so much in this course, I now consider it a duty to apply the skills (and tools) acquired to participate actively in the electoral information space.
In the face of these challenges, the MOOC highlighted the importance of equipping citizens and stakeholders alike with good practices to strengthen information integrity and media and information literacy during elections. These strategies ultimately seek to strengthen freedom of expression as a fundamental pillar for the enabling of human rights and the preservation of electoral integrity.
As a first-time voter in Mauritius, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information surrounding elections. Thankfully, this MOOC came just in time! The knowledge I gained is incredibly valuable and I'm determined to put it into action. Thanks to this course, I'm not just a voter - I am an informed citizen ready to make a difference.
The takeaway for me here is the realization that due to the complexity of AI, its power and speed, the potential for its manipulation, the benefits and disadvantages of using AI in electoral processes, there is therefore a greater need to ensure a balancing act so that any regulatory frameworks do not impinge on freedom of expression.
