The power of voice: bots, democracy and the problem of political ventriloquism

This paper considers the problem of political ventriloquism in a digital age. Democracy relies on the authority of collective voice conceived of as constituent power or vox populi but new technologies that mimic human participation can divert public debate, posing a threat to authenticity and accountability. If ventriloquism primarily serves to manipulate the gullible, the practice should be curtailed. However, this neglects the power of …