DK LLLounge | Saturday | 12:15PM — 12:45PM
Think the witch hunts are a relic of medieval history? Think again. Yuval Noah Harari’s work illuminates the profound impact of information networks on society, researching historical phenomena like the rise of the Nazi movement and the witch hunts. He studies how propaganda and controlled networks have been used to spread ideologies of hate, with mass hysteria often fueled by pamphlets and the power of print media. Hm, does this sounds familiar? From the witch hunts to the rise of disinformation, the parallels to today are stark. It’s just that today, digital networks shape public beliefs and actions with faaaar more reach and speed. As we face the rise of AI-driven information networks, Harari warns that democracy depends on our ability to engage in informed public conversations. But in the digital age, algorithms often favor content that provokes emotions like anger and fear rather than truth and rational discourse, destabilizing democratic processes.
With disinformation rampant and AI-driven networks emerging as a new threat, we must ask: why are we so self-destructive, despite our advancements? Why do we trust AI more than we trust each other? And how can we restore the human connection that seems to be slipping away? Davor Bruketa (Creative Director and Co-owner, Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, Member of HURA & IAB Croatia, Festival’s Organising Committee Member), Ivana Dragičević (Award-Winning International Affairs Journalist, Author and Opinion Leader) and Hrvoje Klasić (Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb) will explore the role individuals and society play in these processes, through the lens of Harari’s groundbreaking ideas, moderated by Ankica Mamić (Founder and Director, Agency IMC, Member of HURA & IAB Croatia).
featured photo Ivana Dragičević: promo N1
