Visual Memes and Videos Fuel Rise in Social Media Disinformation, Oxford Study Finds

Organized social media manipulation campaigns are increasingly using viral memes, videos, and images to spread disinformation on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, according to new research from Oxford University released Thursday.

The annual report from the Oxford Internet Institute’s Computational Propaganda Research Project highlights a significant shift in disinformation tactics. While Facebook remains the primary platform for social media manipulation due to its global reach, researchers observed that visual content is becoming the preferred vehicle for spreading false information.

“On Instagram and YouTube it’s about the evolving nature of fake news – now there are fewer text-based websites sharing articles and it’s more about video with quick, consumable content,” explained Samantha Bradshaw, one of the report’s authors. “Memes and videos are so easy to consume in an attention-short environment.”

This evolution presents new challenges for tech companies already struggling to combat disinformation. Visual content is inherently more difficult to detect and moderate than text. “It’s easier to automatically analyze words than it is an image,” Bradshaw noted. “And images are often more powerful than words with more potential to go viral.”

The limitations of content moderation systems in handling visual media were starkly exposed earlier this year during the New Zealand mosque shootings in March. A gunman live-streamed the killing of 51 people on Facebook, and the video was subsequently shared across multiple platforms despite efforts to remove it.

The report’s findings underscore the rapidly expanding scope of social media manipulation globally. Such campaigns have now been identified in 70 countries worldwide, a dramatic increase from just 28 countries in 2017.

“Computational propaganda has become a normal part of the digital public sphere,” the report stated. “These techniques will also continue to evolve as new technologies… are poised to fundamentally reshape society and politics.”

In response to the findings, a Facebook spokesperson emphasized that providing accurate information remains “a major priority” for the company. “We’ve developed smarter tools, greater transparency, and stronger partnerships to better identify emerging threats, stop bad actors, and reduce the spread of misinformation on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp,” the spokesperson said.

YouTube also defended its approach, stating it had invested in policies, resources, and products to tackle misinformation and regularly removes content violating its terms of use. However, a spokesperson declined to specifically address Oxford University’s findings.

Industry analysts note that the shift toward visual disinformation comes as user behavior on social platforms continues to evolve. With attention spans shortening and engagement metrics favoring quick, emotional content, manipulators have adapted their tactics accordingly.

The growing sophistication of visual manipulation tools presents additional concerns. Deepfake technology, which uses artificial intelligence to create convincing fake videos, threatens to further complicate the information landscape. While most current disinformation still relies on simpler visual manipulations, experts worry that advanced techniques could become more prevalent as the technology becomes more accessible.

The report also highlights the various motivations behind disinformation campaigns. While political influence remains a primary driver, particularly during election periods, financial incentives and ideological agendas also fuel manipulation efforts.

For users, the research suggests an increasing need for visual literacy and critical evaluation skills when consuming content online. As disinformation tactics evolve, the ability to question and verify visual media becomes as important as text-based fact-checking.

As social media companies continue developing countermeasures, the report suggests that the battle against disinformation will require ongoing adaptation and vigilance from platforms, users, and regulatory bodies alike.