Silicon Valley says AI will curb disinformation -- but it might make things worse

Amidst a fresh cycle of reports last week, Facebook confirmed that it had data partnerships with no less than 60 device manufacturers, including four Chinese firms -- Huawei, Lenovo, Oppo and TCL. These companies maintained access to Facebook user data as well as information on a user's friends -- even though Facebook did not collect prior consent. Many have already highlighted the tremendous harm that such expansive sharing of data with third parties -- particularly with firms that have close associations with foreign governments that harbor their own agendas against the United States -- poses for American democracy. Beyond the obvious risk to individual privacy is the concern that this never-ending leakage of data could add fuel to the raging fire of political disinformation. Indeed, access to sensitive personal data offers exactly the foothold necessary for the propagators of disinformation -- both foreign and domestic -- to operate with effectiveness and precision.