Truth, Trust and Democracy

In this episode Michelle explores why Wales, a small country in the United Kingdom, is trying to stop autocracy in its tracks, with a proposal to stop politicians from lying. She talks to a sitting MP, legal expert and a democracy campaigner to understand what’s on the table. This episode includes interviews with: Adam Price , a sitting member of the Plaid Cymru Party in the Senedd, the Welsh Parl...

In this final episode Michelle Ainsworth explores why everyone needs strong media and digital literacy skills to help navigate our increasingly messy information ecosystem. She’ll also touch on the importance of civic engagement in a democracy. She’ll talk to experts in media and digital literacy, civics, former US government advisors and leading academics in disinformation. This episode includes...

Michelle Ainsworth explores the tools that are being used to tackle misinformation and disinformation, while at the same time keeping a healthy information ecosystem that produces accurate, trustworthy and reliable information, while still exposing people to a variety of ideas. She’ll talk to leading academics who work on pre-bunking initiatives, senior journalists and news executives, information...

In this episode Michelle Ainsworth looks at why strong public service media organisations and local journalism are vital for keeping democracy in check at a grassroots level. She also explores the challenges facing political journalists who are working in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. She’ll talk to senior journalists and news executives, former US government advisors, information in...

Michelle Ainsworth explores how the hype around Generative AI and the 2024 year of elections panned out, and why technology guardrails are urgently needed to protect democracy. She’ll talk to experts in Generative AI and digital forensics. She also interviews former US government advisors, Australian election experts and disinformation specialists. This episode includes interviews with: Tom Rogers...

Michelle Ainsworth explores how social media has enabled misinformation and disinformation to disrupt democracies around the world. She’ll talk to digital forensics and disinformation experts, senior journalists, and academics who focus on information integrity. This episode includes interviews with: Professor Hany Farid, School of Information, UC Berkeley Marty Baron, former Editor of the Washing...

In this episode Michelle Ainsworth explores the impact of rising polarisation in the media and the political landscape, and the impact that’s having on trust in democracy. She talks to senior journalists, academics who teach journalism and others who are experts in information integrity. This episode includes interviews with: Dr Jan Voelkel, “Strengthening Democracy Challenge” Polarization and Cha...

Australia’s democracy is the 6th oldest in the world yet despite having an independent electoral system that’s the envy of the western world, vulnerabilities are beginning to crack. 2024 was dubbed a “super election year”, with more than half the world’s population eligible to vote in elections. Former political editor Michelle Ainsworth travelled on a Winston Churchill Fellowship to the US, the U...