Truth, Democracy, and Misinformation

Truth, Democracy, and Misinformation | AAPAE Workshop 17 Nov 2026

In an era shaped by accelerating technological change, social fragmentation, political polarisation, and growing distrust in institutions, questions surrounding truth, misinformation, and democratic legitimacy have become some of the defining ethical challenges of our time. From artificial intelligence and algorithmic influence to climate communication, public health, energy transitions, media ecosystems, and governance, misinformation (unknowingly shared untruths) and disinformation (deliberate lies) increasingly shape how societies understand reality, negotiate difference, and make collective decisions.

What are the ethical dimensions of misinformation and its implications for democracy, public trust, governance, and social cohesion across diverse sectors and industries?

The AAPAE is a meeting point for practitioners from various fields together with academics with specialist expertise. We welcome submissions from not only academics but also  practitioners, policymakers, industry leaders, activists, educators, artists, and community organisations to critically examine these questions.  

The workshop seeks to explore not only the harms associated with misinformation, disinformation, and epistemic manipulation, but also the broader ethical questions surrounding truth, knowledge, communication, responsibility, and democratic participation in increasingly complex and contested social environments. A public panel discussing misinformation and ethics will precede the workshop.

We welcome interdisciplinary contributions from philosophy, ethics, law, political science, media and communication, environmental humanities, psychology, sociology, education, science and technology studies, Indigenous studies, governance, business, and related fields

Possible themes include:

●        AI, algorithms, and social media, including questions regarding digital ethics, censorship, and platform responsibility

●        Democracy, governance, and institutional trust, including questions of political polarisation, democratic resilience, education, civic responsibility, and legitimacy

●        Misinformation and conspiracy in critical domains, including climate, public health, science and energy

●        The contested roles and responsibilities of gatekeepers, guardians, experts and knowledge brokers, including journalists, professionals and scholars

●        Ethics of persuasion, influence, epistemic justice, and public discourse

●        Indigenous knowledges, storytelling, and truth-telling

At a time when misinformation can undermine democratic processes, social trust, and collective action, this workshop aims to foster thoughtful dialogue about how ethical frameworks, institutions, and communities might respond constructively to the challenges of our rapidly changing informational landscapes.

We invite papers, panels, roundtables, workshops, creative practice contributions, and interdisciplinary conversations that engage critically and constructively with these urgent issues.

Workshop proceedings and contributors will be invited to publish in our series: Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations (REIO).

Submission: Abstracts (500 words) should be submitted to Dr Hugh Breakey ([email protected]) and Dr Jacqueline Boaks ([email protected]) by 1 September 2026.