Real or Fake? Navigating Mis/Disinformation in the 2026 Scottish Parliament
Published: 7 April 2026
As Scotland prepares to go to the polls on May 7, voters face an information environment in which distinguishing fact from fiction is increasingly challenging.
The rise of AI-generated content — from deepfakes to so-called "AI slop" — poses unprecedented challenges to democratic participation and electoral integrity. As Scotland prepares to go to the polls on May 7, voters face an information environment in which distinguishing fact from fiction is increasingly challenging.
This public lecture brought researchers and representatives from the UK Electoral Commission to examine how misinformation and disinformation may influence electoral politics in Scotland and across the UK. We will explore the practical steps being taken to safeguard the integrity of the Scottish Parliament elections and what citizens themselves can do to become more resilient consumers of political information.
First published: 7 April 2026