2020 Internet Governance Forum

Topic: Reviewing the Role of Mass and Social Media in Influencing Elections and Politics

INTRODUCTION TO COMMITTEE:

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multistakeholder annual meeting that comes together to discuss emerging issues relating to the internet and its international governance. Founded in 2007 under the United Nations, the forum is unique in that it brings together governments, companies and non-governmental and advocacy groups. In its 13 years of operation, the forum has discussed wide-ranging issues including ‘internet for all’, the use of the internet for human development, online human rights as well as the general security, diversity and stability of the open internet.

THE ISSUE: Reviewing the role of mass and social media in influencing elections and politics

The global usage of mass and social media has exponentially increased since the early 2010s. Today, there are approximately 4.5 billion unique internet users, with OECD countries on average, having 90% of their populations online. With the increased prevalence of the internet and social media, however, there is increasing concern among many democratic countries that such systems are undermining their democracies. Investigations into the 2016 US election as well as the Brexit vote found evidence of foreign entities attempting to use social media to influence voting patterns. Equally, the exposure of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 found that political parties and/or politically related entities were attempting to use ‘big data’ to influence voting patterns. These groups have often exploited algorithms or systems put in place by the large technology companies that track user data and attempt to curate what users see in order to increase retention and usage. Despite numerous inquiries in multiple countries, the tech industry has reiterated their position as platforms and not curators of content.

In this committee, delegates will take on the role of either democratic states or a representative for a technology company or advocacy group. Delegates must consider the impact of social media on the electoral process in democratic states and must navigate how to regulate potentially influencing content as well as keeping in consideration the interests of technology corporations and not stifling the free and open nature of the internet.

MEMBER STATES:

  • USA
  • European Union
  • China
  • United Kingdom
  • Canada
  • Russia
  • Australia
  • Facebook (Instagram)
  • Twitter
  • ByteDance (Tik-Tok)
  • Microsoft
  • Alphabet Inc. (Google, Youtube)
  • Electronic Frontier Foundation

Briefing Paper Coming Soon!

Register Here.