Abstract
This presentation reexamines the evolving landscape of misinformation and disinformation, focusing on the Asian region, drawing on insights from the COVID-19 pandemic, and extending into the current period shaped by rapid technological advancements, such as the rise of GenAI. Building on almost a decade of research on media and disinformation in Singapore and collaborations across Asia, this presentation revisits how different Asian countries responded to the infodemic during COVID-19, highlighting the interplay between media systems, government regulations, and cultural contexts in shaping the spread and reception of online falsehoods. While some lessons have been learned, persistent challenges remain, and new threats are emerging. As GenAI tools become more accessible and sophisticated, they introduce new challenges to information integrity and democratic processes.
Short bio
Edson C. Tandoc Jr. is Professor at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where he is also the founding Director of the Centre for Information Integrity and the Internet (IN-cube) and the Associate Chair for Research. He serves as the Chair of the Journalism Studies Division of the International Communication Association.
A former newspaper journalist, his research focuses on the impact of journalistic roles, emerging technologies, and audience feedback on the news gatekeeping process. He also studies how people make sense of critical incidents in journalism and participate in reconsidering journalistic norms, as well as how changing news consumption patterns facilitate the spread of fake news—especially in the age of communicative AI. His recent books include Analyzing Analytics: Disrupting Journalism One Click at a Time (2019) and co-editor of Critical Incidents in Journalism: Pivotal Moments Reshaping Journalism around the World (2020).
