Abstract:

We live in an era in which information is more readily available than ever. As our lives become increasingly intertwined with digital platforms, important questions must be raised about how we engage with these platforms, and how this engagement shapes the lives of ourselves and others. In the field of mental health, the impacts of online misinformation are all too apparent. Conspiracy theories abound online, and beliefs in these conspiracy theories interact with the personal grievances of minority groups, leading to novel challenges for the internal security of nations. State actors may harness these conspiracy theories and sources of online misinformation, and target society’s most marginalized; sometimes facilitating online radicalization. Governments increasingly face the problem of ‘Mass Formations’, in which societal groups based on shared grievances or sources of misinformation form quickly, and, through social media, organize protests, petitions, and other online campaigns. In such a context, governments are faced with the challenge of validating the concerns of these groups, while also not becoming overly disrupted by the emergence of these Mass Formations. Leaders of nations must consider the manner in which engagement with online platforms can shape the behaviour of individuals and groups, and find ways to facilitate positive engagement with these platforms. This is a great challenge of our era, but if handled properly, yields much optimism and hope for humanity.