By Verica Rupar, MDI Trustee, professor of journalism at the School of Communication Studies, AUT, New Zealand, and a former Chair of the World Journalism Education Council
This topic was discussed by MDI panellists at Prague Media Point on 29 November. The video of our session will soon be availble on MDI YouTube channel. Visit this page for new update.
One of the most used words to describe political feelings after Donald Trump’s victory at the US elections is despair; a day of despair for America, for Democrats, and the world that needs a plan not despair.
A common thread in all reports has been a warning that Donald Trump’s political agenda, defined by divisive rhetoric targeting minority groups, poses a danger to the world.
Trump has demonized minority groups and used increasingly dark imagery to talk about migrants in his speeches, a POLITICO analysis of 20 Trump rallies revealed. Such a stand from a world leader starkly opposes the concept of diversity that has been at the heart of democratic progress for decades.
The anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ stand, to name the most visible minority groups he attacks, does more than point a finger at and isolate vulnerable communities. It threatens the foundations of an inclusive society, alienating groups whose perspectives and contributions make our communities richer and more resilient.
Diversity and Society in Flux
The importance of diversity has increased profoundly in recent decades. In the upcoming MDI study “Diversity in media: Challenges in the age of algorithms” we have recorded some of the major shifts.
The first change is the meaning of diversity. Once seen as simply the acknowledgment of differences among demographic groups, diversity has become a driving principle in promoting social cohesion and human rights. It is now central to policies in media, education, and government, representing an understanding that a pluralistic society is a stronger, more innovative one.
The second is a new information eco-system. As we moved from analogue to digital media, and from the idea of unified public sphere towards the information system that includes social media reshaping public discourse, diversity initiatives seek full media engagement to maintain visibility for underrepresented voices.
The third is communication noise. While it is true that the advancement of digital platforms has amplified diverse perspectives it has also provided fertile ground for divisive narratives. It’s no coincidence that Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric has found resonance in these digital spaces. Targeted ads, sensationalist headlines, and curated feeds have allowed narrow viewpoints to grow unchecked, reinforcing existing biases and stirring opposition to diversity.
The defamatory rhetoric, weaponized in the pursuit of political gain, spreads more easily than ever before, posing challenges to those who work to foster inclusive discourse and policies.
In one of the earlier MDI studies, “QAnon: Spreading conspiracy theories on Twitter” we found about 3,000 different hashtags related to QAnon and 1,250 Twitter profiles, quarter of them (300) being from the US. Trump’s role in spreading misinformation, his contribution to fuelling extremism, flirting with the political fringe, supporting conspiracy theories and, most of all, Twitter demagogy created an environment in which he has been seen as an “accelerant” in his own right.
How Algorithmic Media Fosters Divisive Rhetoric
At the heart of both MDI studies is the issue of how media—and particularly algorithm-driven media—play a role in either promoting or impeding diversity. Algorithms that prioritize sensationalist content often push divisive narratives to the forefront, regardless of their impact on vulnerable groups.
Social media platforms, intended as spaces for open discourse, have instead become tools that amplify anti-diversity messages to millions. Research has shown that algorithms prioritize engagement, which often means promoting content that incites anger or fear over content that fosters understanding and inclusion.
This dynamic is particularly troubling for marginalized groups, that already face misrepresentation in mainstream media. Scholar Safiya Umoja Noble, in her book Algorithms of Oppression, describes how search engines and social media often reflect and reinforce racial and gender stereotypes, exacerbating the challenges these communities face in achieving fair representation.
For members of minority groups, this can mean a continuous battle for visibility and accurate representation in a media landscape that frequently seeks to pigeonhole or erase them.
A need for systematic change
A strong argument could be put forward that both media and public policy need to go beyond merely addressing the question of representation. What was once called a diversity of media content is not sufficient anymore.
Policy makers such as the European Commission assumed that having a greater diversity of content leads to a more varied consumption of information. In other words, a diversity of content allows broadening audiences’ perspectives. That has not happened. As explained earlier, despite the availability of diverse content, many users tend to stay within information streams that reinforce what they believe in, therefore limiting their own exposure to differing viewpoints.
In that context diversity in the media is no longer just a matter of who speaks in the media. If we are to counter rhetoric like Trump’s, we need to build a media landscape that serves as a genuine reflection of the diversity that defines us. Diversity in media needs to be understood as a matter of a complex interplay between a range of media actors, the audience engagement, and the social structures that support it.
Structural and systemic changes that support inclusion on a wider scale are a must nowadays. The choice is clear: either allow divisive policies to erode the foundation of diversity, or use the challenges of the digital age to create a more inclusive society.
More on AI:
Article: The Impact of AI-Generated Content on Religious Stereotypes and Discrimination https://getthetrollsout.org/articles/5y4mux3nlzb97pp1oj0iloo5lna0ku
Picture from https://www.shutterstock.com/fr/g/Anna+Moneymaker
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Media Diversity Institute. Any question or comment should be addressed to [email protected]
