Optimising Emotion: Introducing the Civic Body

Abstract

Emotion plays an important role in modern societies, especially given circulation of knowingly and unwittingly spread false information. Opening Part I of this book that deconstructs core features of contemporary false information online, this chapter makes the case that false information is prevalent online, causing real-world civic harms; that emotion is fundamental to civic life; and that profiling and optimisation of emotions using automated systems are escalating features of daily life. Given mounting evidence that emotion profiling incubates false information online, causing significant harms worldwide, this chapter frames these developments in terms of a civic body increasingly affected by processes of optimised emotion. In advancing the notion of the civic body, this chapter captures the various ways by which datafied emotion is collected, processed and optimised, especially as it relates to information, between individuals and collectives. The chapter introduces how current emotional profiling (on dominant global digital platforms) fuels the spread of false information and also considers the implications of emergent emotion profiling (via biometrics). Finally, the chapter discusses the book’s aims and approach.

Mapping automatic social media information disorder. The role of bots and AI in spreading misleading information in society

“…In "Optimising Emotions, Incubating Falsehoods," by [391] practical strategies are provided to protect against disinformation and misinformation, such as fact-checking and critical thinking. Disinformation is intentionally spread to deceive, while misinformation may be spread without deceptive intent.…”

NARRATIVAS JORNALÍSTICAS IMERSIVAS (NJIs)

“…In the 21st century, the exploitation of emotions across social media by governments, groups, and private organizations with political and commercial interests, using automated systems (AI) and algorithms that increase the spread of false information, has harmed citizens and compromised democracy (Bakir & McStay, 2022).…”