Stefanie Preissner: I worry that people’s vote will be influenced by the last conspiracy theory TikTok they saw instead of the truth

As the local and European elections approach, we are battling algorithms and curated content that is stronger than willpower or common sense

"Before the internet, mad Michael from town could have had his tinfoil hat ideas. Now he can go online and spread them." Image: Getty

Stefanie Preissner

I have been listening to commentators howling about social media, AI and its “threat to democracy” for years now, but it wasn’t until this month that I actually felt it might be a serious and genuine threat.

When we learned details of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 — where Facebook data was used to better target political messages to people that could be influenced, also known as “microtargeting” — I was unphased. I didn’t fully understand the mechanism and I was disinterested in the American political landscape because it didn’t immediately impact me.