Platform governance as institutional custodianship: multi-actor collaboration in combating AI-enabled mis/disinformation

Abstract

This paper examines the governance of digital platforms in the face of unprecedented challenges posed by misinformation in the AI era. As key intermediaries in the flow of information and communication (Constantinides et al., 2018; Gawer, 2014), digital platforms bear significant responsibility for curbing the spread of false information, whether in the form of misinformation or disinformation (Cantarella et al., 2023; Qureshi & Bhatt, 2024). How we govern these digital platforms in a way that maintains institutional trust and limits the erosion of foundational institutions is an ongoing concern (Chen et al., 2022). We argue that resilient and trustworthy digital environment require collaborative multi-actor collaboration in integrating AI-driven solutions to foster institutional custodianship across digital platform ecosystems. We conclude by calling for future research that collaborates with practice and policy to explore innovative governance strategies that balance innovation with accountability in combating mis/disinformation and associated institutional decay through multi-actor collaboration.