GAIA Releases Report on Digital Distortions: Building a Wise Nation to be Resilient against Misinformation
Following the rise of digital technologies and social media in the twenty-first century, the world has experienced a new wave of information access. However, amidst this development, issues relating to information disorder (ID) became a growing concern for many governments across the globe.
Brunei is not immune to this global phenomena. This report reveals the current state of misinformation and disinformation (henceforth known as “Information Disorder [ID]”) in Brunei, and offers strategies to build resilience to future challenges relating to ID. The methodology is an embedded case study, starting with a study of Brunei’s governance in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 which coincided with an infodemic – an excess of inaccurate and misleading information – happening globally. After deriving several lessons to highlight Brunei’s resilience, additional interviews with key stakeholders, from the government, traditional media, social media, and civil society, relating to ID generally were conducted. The findings were then mapped to existing mechanisms proposed in the literature on combating ID.
GAIA's research on information disorder in Brunei, conducted with the support of the Australian High Commission, marks a pivotal endeavour in addressing the complexities of such issues within the region. By leveraging resources facilitated by the Australian High Commission, this partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling issues of ID, and demonstrates Australia's commitment to supporting sustainable and long-term development initiatives in Brunei Darussalam and the broader Asia-Pacific region.