Social Media Manipulation Poses Growing Threat to Democracy Worldwide, Oxford Study Finds

Social media manipulation has reached alarming new heights globally, with political actors increasingly weaponizing platforms to distort public opinion and undermine democratic processes, according to a comprehensive new study by the Oxford Internet Institute.

The research reveals that computational propaganda – the use of algorithms, automation, and data analytics to manipulate public perception – has exploded across the globe. In just two years, the number of countries where such manipulation is prevalent has surged by 150%, from 28 to 70 nations.

“Although propaganda has always been a part of political discourse, the deep and wide-ranging scope of these campaigns raise critical public interest concerns,” the researchers warn in their report, describing the trend as a “critical threat” to democracies worldwide.

What was once considered fringe activity has become mainstream political practice. Government agencies and political parties are systematically deploying sophisticated digital tools to shape narratives, suppress opposition, and influence voter behavior on an unprecedented scale.

“The use of computational propaganda to shape public attitudes via social media has become mainstream, extending far beyond the actions of a few bad actors,” the report states. “In an information environment characterized by high volumes of information and limited levels of user attention and trust, the tools and techniques of computational propaganda are becoming a common – and arguably essential – part of digital campaigning and public diplomacy.”

Facebook remains the dominant platform for such manipulation, with researchers documenting formally organized political disinformation operations in 56 countries. Despite the company’s claims of taking extensive measures to combat such activities, the report suggests these efforts have failed to stem the rising tide of political manipulation.

When contacted, Facebook provided a statement highlighting its efforts to combat misinformation through “smarter tools, greater transparency, and stronger partnerships,” but did not address why these measures appear ineffective against the growing problem.

China has emerged as “a major player in the global disinformation order,” according to the researchers, expanding beyond its traditional domestic propaganda apparatus to target international audiences through social media platforms. This shift represents a significant evolution in China’s approach to information warfare.

The report identifies a particularly troubling pattern in authoritarian regimes, where computational propaganda combines with surveillance technology to create powerful systems of social control. “The co-option of social media technologies provides authoritarian regimes with a powerful tool to shape public discussions and spread propaganda online, while simultaneously surveilling, censoring, and restricting digital public spaces,” the researchers note.

Democracy itself stands vulnerable to these tactics. The study found that in 45 democracies, politicians and political parties have employed computational propaganda tools to manipulate voters, while 26 authoritarian states use these same techniques to suppress dissent and control information flows.

Seven nations – China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela – were identified as “sophisticated state actors” running foreign influence operations primarily through Facebook and Twitter. These campaigns specifically target elections and political discourse in other countries.

The toolkit of manipulation techniques is diverse and evolving. While bot accounts are widely used to amplify political content (found in 80% of countries studied), human agents remain even more prevalent (87% of countries). More sophisticated approaches include bot-human hybrid accounts (11% of countries) and the use of hacked or stolen accounts (7% of countries).

Perhaps most concerning is the commercialization of propaganda. The researchers identified 25 countries working with private companies or communications firms offering computational propaganda as a service. In some cases, student or youth groups are recruited by government agencies to spread disinformation.

“Government agencies and political parties around the world are using social media to spread disinformation and other forms of manipulated media,” said Professor Philip Howard, director of the Oxford Internet Institute. “Although propaganda has always been a part of politics, the wide-ranging scope of these campaigns raises critical concerns for modern democracy.”

Despite these troubling findings, Howard maintains that social media can still be “a force for good” by creating space for public deliberation. “A strong democracy requires access to high-quality information and an ability for citizens to come together to debate, discuss, deliberate, empathize and make concessions,” he emphasized.

The researchers recommend strengthening digital literacy education and developing more robust regulatory frameworks to address these challenges before they further erode democratic institutions.