It's no longer a secret, social networks have radically transformed the way we get information. A few decades ago, access to information was limited and centralized. Newspapers, television, radio and magazines were the main sources of content, regulated by editors and journalists who checked the facts before they were released. diffusiondiffusion. Today, with the rise of social platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, everyone has the ability to easily publish and share information quickly.
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No limits of time or space, social networkssocial networks thus allow a democratization of information, which is distributed, sometimes, even before traditional media. The problem with this immediacy is the spread of fake news. The deliberate or unintentional dissemination of false information has existed for a long time, but the digital age has only amplified its reach. There vitessevitesse to which these fake newsfake news spread can subsequently lead to dramatic consequences. An erroneous article or a manipulated video can reach millions of views in a few hours, and thus influence public opinion and behavior. This is also what we were able to experience during the pandemicpandemic of COVID-19COVID-19.
But social networks are not just a simple space for sharing information. They are designed to capture and hold our attention for as long as possible, in particular thanks to algorithms, which are programmed to prioritize content that arouses strong emotions. Thanks to or because of this mechanism, you share, like, comment, or react to content that appeals to you. However, this is how fake news takes hold: a shocking video, a sensationalist headline or a fake image can quickly go around social networks via sharing tools and algorithms. Advances in artificial intelligence have also made it easier to create misleading content. Deepfakes, hyper-realistic videos, can be made, making the distinction between what is real and what is not increasingly difficult. L'IAIA also allows for the generation of text and images at scale, further increasing the amount of misleading content in circulation.
Fake news: social network X in difficulty
A world without disinformation seems unrealistic today given recent technological advances. However, the public seems to remain sensitive to the quality of the news they receive. We can see this with what is happening with the social network TwitterTwitter. According to the platform's figures, X had 250 million active users worldwide in the summer of 2024. Since Elon Musk took over as CEO, and especially since he fully invested Donald Trump's election campaign, the network is going through a difficult period. In just one day, more than a million new users joined Bluesky, a competing platform. Some Internet users are turning away from X.
Accused of becoming a breeding ground for disinformation, hate speech and propaganda, resonanceresonance for the far right. As a result, many academics, left-wing politicians, celebrities and newspapers, including The Guardian, have criticized the platform, calling it “toxic”. The question of moderation has therefore become a major point of tension. Bluesky, which presents itself as an alternative to CEO, this platform opened to the public in February 2023 but struggled to make itself known, particularly outside the United States.
Bluesky: a social network safer than X?
Today things have changed. Bluesky advocates more space transparenttransparent for users. Unlike centralized platforms like X, the social network is not controlled by a single entity. This leaves greater freedom for Internet users, but also poses challenges for information management, particularly with regard to disinformation. The lack of centralized curation, like on other social networks, can make it more difficult to manage problematic content. However, Bluesky seeks to find solutions, such as detection algorithms, source verification and the creation of reputation systems.
Mastodon: the social network that overshadows Twitter
But unlike X, the platform makes you a promise: you will be in control of what you see! Depending on the platform, Bluesky allows users to personalize their experience by choosing moderation services offered by the community or created by themselves. They could also better control the posts that appear on their news feed. At least that will be a win!
