Social media manipulation in the political context has now become a serious global issue on an industrial scale, according to the 2020 Media Manipulation Study by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII). The study found that efforts to influence public opinion through social media were detected in 81 countries, an increase from 70 countries in the previous year. The spread of disinformation is no longer a sporadic activity but has become part of a well-organized and professional political communication strategy.

According to the report, governments, political parties, and private firms are now exploiting services such as “cyber troops” online teams that spread propaganda along with fake accounts, bots, and data-driven targeting to shape political narratives, suppress opponents, and undermine democracy. These activities are carried out on a large scale, with widespread reports of fake human-run accounts, bots, and hacked accounts. For instance, of the 81 countries studied, 79 used fake human accounts, 57 used bots, and 14 employed hacked or stolen accounts.

In addition, the report highlighted that many countries use disinformation as part of the official communications of governments and political parties. More than 93% of the countries studied reported that disinformation was deployed in political communication. Tactics include smear campaigns, cyberattacks against opposition groups, the use of paid trolls, as well as efforts to silence alternative voices through harassment and the dissemination of false content.

The consequences of these manipulative activities are severe. They not only threaten freedom of expression and media independence but also weaken public trust in democratic institutions and public information systems. When society struggles to distinguish between genuine and manipulated content, political polarization deepens, and social conflicts intensify.

To address this issue, the report suggests that social media platforms must play a more proactive role. They are encouraged to strengthen efforts to identify and shut down fake accounts, filter out disinformation, and enforce quality standards for information. These measures must be carried out transparently without excessive government interference, in order to safeguard the freedom of information.

Overall, the Oxford report emphasizes that social media manipulation by political actors is no longer an isolated issue. Instead, it has grown into an industry with major implications for democracy, information security, and the relationship between governments and citizens. The increasing trend toward more sophisticated and large scale digital manipulation demands collective action from all stakeholders social media platforms, civil society, media practitioners, and policymakers to ensure that reliable and trustworthy information continues to be preserved for social and political stability.

Date of Input: 15/08/2025 | Updated: 03/10/2025 | adibbaharudin