World Economic Forum Flags 'Digital Wildfires' As Risk to Global Stability

Global political and economic experts believe that false information spread on social networks could cause political and economic unrest, according to the 2013 Global Risks Report issued by the World Economic Forum.

“A false rumor spreading virally through social networks could have a devastating impact before being effectively corrected,” the report concludes, citing surveys of 1,000 experts around the world.

The report points out that social networks, by sorting people into social affinity groups, make it more difficult for relevant parties to correct misinformation.