On March 18, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol targeted Russia, describing fake news and disinformation based on artificial intelligence and digital technology as “threats to democracy”. Speaking at the opening of the Democracy Summit in Seoul, Yoon said that countries should exchange their experiences and wisdom so that artificial intelligence and technology can be used to promote democracy.[1]
“Fake news and disinformation based on artificial intelligence and digital technology not only violate individual freedom and human rights, but also threaten democratic systems,” Yoon said. South Korea hosted the third edition of the Democracy Summit conference, an initiative of United States of America (USA) President Joe Biden aimed at discussing ways to halt democratic backsliding and the erosion of rights and freedoms.[2]
Digital threats to democracy and the ways in which technology can support democracy and universal human rights were the main agenda of the three-day meetings in Seoul, attended by representatives from more than 30 countries, from Costa Rica to the United States and Ghana. “We need to ensure that technology can sustain and support democratic values and norms,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the summit.[3]
Blinken later said that 2024 was an “extraordinary election year” to highlight the risks of disinformation and falsehoods in cyberspace.[4] Blinken said Washington has issued first-of-its-kind guidance for tech companies to help prevent online attacks on human rights advocates. The summit also welcomed half a dozen other countries, including South Korea and Japan, to join the US-led crackdown on the misuse of commodity spyware to spy on journalists or human rights advocates. Some European officials have also accused Russia of using artificial intelligence to conduct disinformation campaigns.[5]
“The only thing more terrible than what Russia did during its invasion of Ukraine is the vile web of lies of Russian propaganda, accelerated by social media, deep fake techniques and ubiquitous bots,” said Robert Kupiecki, Undersecretary of the Polish Foreign Ministry. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected accusations of spreading false or misleading information. On the other hand, hours before the start of the summit, North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea for the first time in two months in its latest show of force. The conference also began immediately after Russian President Vladimir Putin was declared the winner of the presidential elections with a record post-Soviet vote margin.[6]
This means that Putin, who came to power in 1999, will start a new six-year term and if he completes it, he will surpass Josef Stalin to become Russia’s longest-serving leader in more than 200 years. The White House National Security Council spokesperson criticized the elections, saying, “It is clear that the elections were not free and fair, given Mr. Putin’s imprisonment of his political opponents and his preventing others from running against him.”[7]
Putin told to reporters that Russia’s elections were democratic and the protests organized against him by supporters of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died last month in an Arctic prison, did not affect the outcome of the election.[8]
Yoon Suk Yeol’s statements emphasize that artificial intelligence and digital technology should be treated as threats to democracy. This demonstrates the dangers of interference in democratic processes, spreading disinformation and manipulation. Regulations and international cooperation on the use of such technologies are essential.
The Democracy Summit, hosted by South Korea, provides an international platform to protect democratic values and institutions. Such summits aim to build a joint effort against digital threats by promoting information sharing and cooperation between countries.
Statements by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlight the effects of disinformation in cyberspace on democratic processes. It emphasizes that such threats increase especially during election periods and the importance of taking measures against information tampering attempts by international actors.
At the same time, there are accusations that Russia is using artificial intelligence and digital technology to conduct disinformation campaigns. The international association of Russia with information manipulation and propaganda activities could cause tensions in international relations and encourage greater measures in digital security.
The re-election of Vladimir Putin and the White House’s criticism of the democratic nature of these elections illustrate how the political atmosphere in Russia is perceived by the international community. The repression of political opponents and restrictions on the electoral process raise serious concerns about Russia’s compliance with democratic standards.
[1] “South Korea Hosted Summit Warns of AI Risks to Democracy”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-yoon-warns-tech-threat-democracy-summit-2024-03-18/, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[2] “Antony Blinken Warns of Technology Threat to Democracy at Seoul Forum”, Kyodo News, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/03/b6886b8e9075-blinken-warns-of-technology-threat-to-democracy-at-seoul-forum.html, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[3] “Democracy Under Threat from AI-Generated Fake News and Disinformation, Warns South Korea’s Yoon”, South China Morning Post, https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3255756/democracy-under-threat-ai-generated-fake-news-and-disinformation-warns-south-koreas-yoon, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[4] “S.Korea’s Yoon Warns of Tech Threat to Democracy”, The Daily Adversiter, https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/8559770/skoreas-yoon-warns-of-tech-threat-to-democracy/, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[5] “South Korea Hosted Summit Warns of AI Risks to Democracy”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-yoon-warns-tech-threat-democracy-summit-2024-03-18/, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[6] “Democracy Under Threat from AI-Generated Fake News and Disinformation, Warns South Korea’s Yoon”, South China Morning Post, https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3255756/democracy-under-threat-ai-generated-fake-news-and-disinformation-warns-south-koreas-yoon, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[7] “Antony Blinken Warns of Technology Threat to DEMOCRACY at Seoul Forum”, Kyodo News, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/03/b6886b8e9075-blinken-warns-of-technology-threat-to-democracy-at-seoul-forum.html, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
[8] “South Korea Hosted Summit Warns of AI Risks to Democracy”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-yoon-warns-tech-threat-democracy-summit-2024-03-18/, (Date of Access: 18.03.2024).
