On Tuesday, Governments around the World are increasingly using social media to manipulate elections and monitor their citizens, in a worrisome trend for democracy, a Human Rights watchdog said.
An annual report on online freedom by the non-profit group Freedom House found evidence of “advanced Social Media Surveillance programmes” in at least 40 of 65 countries analyzed.
The report said Global Internet freedom declined for a Ninth Consecutive Year, as authorities in some countries cut off internet access as part of their manipulation efforts, while others employed propaganda armies to distort information on social platforms.
“Many Governments are finding that on social media, propaganda works better than censorship,” said Mike Abramowitz, president of Freedom House.
“Authoritarians and populists are exploiting human nature and computer algorithms to conquer the ballot box, running roughshod over rules designed to ensure free elections.”
Disinformation was the most commonly used tactic to undermine elections, according to the group.
The researchers said in 47 out of the 65 Countries, individuals were arrested for political, social, or religious speech online and people were subjected to physical violence for their online activities in at least 31 countries.
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