Information Ecosystems and Troubled Democracy: The State of Knowledge on News Media, AI, and Data Governance

A critical assessment of why today’s information ecosystems are troubling for democracy, this book is based on research in the Global North and Global Majority World on changes in news media, artificial intelligence, and data governance. It focuses on measures to improve the quality of public discourse, protect media freedoms, and ensure the resilience of public institutions. The analysis highlights policies aimed at enhancing the accountability and resilience of information ecosystems in the face of increasing weaponisation of information. Of interest to academics, policymakers, business, and civil society, the book showcases worldwide efforts to tackle Big Tech data extractive and monetisation practices, address news media instability, and ensure artificial intelligence applications are compatible with democratic values. Revised and updated from an earlier report, this book is essential reading for everyone seeking to reimagine what justice in a datafied world could be.