What if I told you the views you hold today, the beliefs that go right to the core of your being, the beliefs you will ultimately base your first vote on, weren’t just formed by reliable sources? Not by your parents or teachers, but by an algorithm—an algorithm that knows exactly what keeps you scrolling. This algorithm isn’t interested in truth or factual accuracy; it’s interested in engagement and, unlike some people, feels absolutely no remorse for feeding us complete fabrications, whatever piques our interest and keeps us immersed in the poisonous world of social media, oblivious to the chaos and moral disintegration our bad beliefs are causing around us.
This is why it is absolutely crucial that governments regulate the flow of misinformation on online platforms, as social media becomes an increasingly used source of knowledge. Especially as we enter the world of adulthood, where our decisions begin to make big impacts, such as our newly given right to vote, we cannot allow our beliefs and ideologies, the same beliefs that will ultimately affect our country, to be based off TikTok bits and YouTube clickbait.
Society is formed on a mass web of beliefs, which we use to shape our understanding of the world. While every individual belief may not be completely true, this web depends on the general accuracy of the beliefs, which is why it is crucial we begin with correct information to form our views on. This starts with government regulation and fact-checking of political content on social media, keeping this web which society relies on intact.
As the generation who grew up with social media, the truth is, whether it’s intentional or subconscious, we will get the majority of our voting information off social media, but the issue arises as our lack of critical thinking skills takes over. The fact is, we are extremely gullible. If an influencer we admire posts a video encouraging a certain vote in an upcoming election, chances are this will influence our decision more than it should; there’ll be no fact-checking or further research involved. It will be taken at face value.
Several philosophers in the past, particularly the works of William Clifford and Charles Peirce, have argued this is more than just laziness; it is immoral behaviour, and we have a duty to find “sufficient evidence” before forming beliefs, in order to keep our overall web of beliefs pure. The lack of regulation of political views on social media opens opportunity for extremist content, making the entire online environment a hostile and dangerous place for us as impressionable youth.
In the lead-up to the 2022 election, a total of $12.5 million funded 26,945 political ads on Facebook and Instagram over the two months leading up to May 21. 73% of voters said they encountered political ads that they knew to be misleading, and of those, 43% said they saw a misleading ad “once a day or more often”.
The rise in influence social media stars have over us becomes increasingly dangerous as “It’s perfectly legal to lie in a political ad in Australia and it shouldn’t be”, as highlighted by Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director of the Australia Institute. Eroding public trust and enabling a spread of disinformation, traditional media organisations are losing their role in the safeguarding of democracy, becoming lackadaisical and allowing social media companies to avoid accountability entirely.
This is not a new idea; governments have already considered regulation. In 2024, the government tried to pass a misinformation bill about political content on social media, but it was abandoned before the end of the year due to heavy backlash from several media companies and political opponents. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland confirmed the bill had failed, saying, “The Coalition… chose to place partisanship above any attempt to navigate the public interest.”
Arguments against the change in legislation centred themselves around freedom of speech, prioritising the non-censorship and independence social media deserves, but Rowland argued the bill would have combated “seriously harmful content” on digital platforms, while still maintaining freedom of speech protections.
And so, the solution becomes clear: While traditional media sources are subject to oversight and standard inspections, social media platforms often skate by, undetected and under the radar. In a world so heavily reliant on technology, social media companies should be held accountable for not only the accuracy but the impact of the political content they allow. We need to hold the government accountable for supporting legislation to ensure greater transparency and fact-checking across social media apps, as what we see on there may very well be shaping our horizon.
But given most people are ultimately governed by self-interest, politicians may only restrict content which harms their opponents. We cannot trust them to exercise power honestly and impartially, so it lies with the voter to be vigilant in their own interests and the good of the community. As future world leaders, we must take nothing at face value. In the next election, where your opinion is what counts, do not let social media be the guiding force behind your decision.