Regulating unreason

Conspiracy theories, quack cures and demonisation of ‘the other’ have always been with us, but 2020 has demonstrated what can happen when the era of social media collides with a global pandemic and an accompanying economic crisis. As conspiracy theories and fake news expand and coalesce, feeding on uncertainty and fear, a bitter US election campaign has amplified the clamorous voices of unreason.

How should regulators and other public managers, charged with maintaining social order, protecting community well-being and implementing well-evidenced public policy, act in the face of this tidal wave?

Our final webinar for 2020 will bring together the collective wisdom of three senior regulatory leaders about what regulatory tools might help us deal with the challenges of unreason in these extraordinary times.

• Facilitator: Simon Corden
• Speaker 1: Luke Cornelius
• Speaker 2: Julie Inman Grant (Julie Inman Grant presentation slides)
• Speaker 3: Dr Sandro Demaio (Dr Sandro Demaio presentation slides)

For further reading: Misinformation and news quality on digital platforms in Australia – ACMA