Young Scots are being asked to speak out about how fake news and online misinformation has affected them by a senior SNP MP.
Stewart McDonald MP, the party’s Defence spokesman, is encouraging a debate on how best to tackle the spread of online conspiracies with a video competition on the issue.
McDonald has been highlighting the problem of disinformation for the last year across anti-vaccination campaigns in Scotland and deliberate propaganda campaigns being run on behalf of Russian and Chinese governments to destablise international politics.
He said young people are particularly exposed to false news through platforms like Tiktok and Telegram which older adults barely use.
Highlighting the activities of the anti-vax Alpha Male group exposed by the Daily Record, McDonald warned: “There is a well established connection between covid disinformation vaccine groups leading people into more extreme politics.”
“A lot of disinformation is coming to young adults on social media platforms rarely used or moderated by older adults.
The Glasgow South MP is calling for young people across Scotland to be involved in building up a national strategy against fake news by submitting short videos on the impact that disinformation has had on them.
The competition, which runs until 31 January 2022, asks young people aged 16-30 to put together a 6 minute video on how disinformation has affected them and their peers.
It also encourages them to share their own policy ideas on how disinformation can best be tackled. The winning entry will win £100 and have their video published.
McDonald said: “Disinformation can be seen everywhere from conspiracy theories spreading across WhatsApp groups and private Facebook pages to political disinformation weaponised by hostile foreign actors.
“In 2022, it is clear just how widespread and growing a problem disinformation is for every society. It threatens every part of our lives, from our democracy to our national security, and it needs to be addressed by the people in power.”
He added: “We know that it is young people who are so often the target of disinformation, but we also know they are often the most resilient to it too. This is exactly why I am launching this Disinformation Video Contest for young people.
“I am certain that young people can help us tackle disinformation and build up national information resilience against it.
Videos can be emailed, along with a 100 word biography, to stewart.mcdonald.mp@parliament.uk
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
