National Council President calls for education and regulation of AI and social media platforms to combat disinformation and manipulation

According to the national team, one must work against this with education and regulation of artificial intelligence and social media platforms

National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) warned of a “new pandemic of disinformation and manipulation” at the parliamentary memorial event against violence and racism on Friday. So far there is no immunization against this. You have to counteract this through the education and regulation of artificial intelligence and social media platforms. There were harsh attacks against the FPÖ at the event by publicist Michel Friedman.

Since Corona, the discourse has become more aggressive, the head of parliament stated in his speech. Apparently, the ability to reach consensus and find value in compromise has been lost.

Polarization, conspiracy theories and fake news are spread via social media, which also fuels the demonization of minorities. If, according to surveys, more than ten percent of Austrians are manifestly anti-Semitic and over 30 percent are latent, that is a worrying picture.

You have to counteract this through education, but also through the regulation of artificial intelligence, algorithms and anonymous social media platforms. European and national approval procedures are needed for these areas as quickly as possible: “The digital skills of future generations will be decisive for being able to use the technological possibilities for democracy and not against it.”

Federal Council President Günter Kovacs (SPÖ) also emphasized almost word for word with Sobotka that you have to resist the beginnings and be vigilant when there are attacks on “our democracy and our values”. One must draw the right and necessary lessons from history. This includes consistently fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of racism.

As part of a moderated discussion, the author and philosopher Michel Friedman sharply attacked the FPÖ, without naming them. He spoke literally of “anti-democrats” and of election campaigns in which people were incited against one another and human dignity trampled underfoot. At the same time, he recalled that the ÖVP had formed a coalition with the Freedom Party twice. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl considered the statements with a shake of the head.

The main topic of this year’s commemoration event was the Gusen concentration camp, to which a film was dedicated that was shown after the speeches. After Austria bought areas of the former camp last year, the memorial site there is being expanded, which will also bring this place of extermination more into the public eye. Gusen did not survive around 36,000 people from all parts of Europe.

The club chairmen of the SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens and NEOS as well as the National Council Presidency came to the event in the historic meeting room. The government was represented by Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (both ÖVP). Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen was excused. He is in Great Britain for the coronation of King Charles.

The event was musically accompanied this year by the chief cantor of the Jewish community in Vienna, Shmuel Barzilai, and Momentum Vocal Music. (APA)