ASC320 - Conspiracies, Misinformation, and Hatred in the Age of AI
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 3: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 3: Matteo Vergani |
| Prerequisite: | At least eight credit points towards your degree |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Note:While this unit will discuss the social changes around sexual identity and the internet, as well as sex crimes on the net, students will not be required to, nor be able to, access internet pornography sites. University policy clearly states that users of university servers are prohibited from accessing pornographic or other such sites and the unit team thoroughly endorses this policy | |
Content
How can we tackle misinformation, conspiracies, and hatred while balancing the challenges of political manipulation and the need to protect free speech? This unit equips students with the tools to critically analyse these complex issues, navigate polarised debates, and evaluate their societal impacts.
Through the analysis of engaging case studies of hate crimes and terrorism, this unit introduces students to the potential of computational social science. It explores how AI tools can process vast amounts of data to examine how digital platforms shape narratives, drive social conflict, and link online activity to real-world harm.
By integrating social science theories and methods, students will analyse the roles of governments, tech companies, and civil society in tackling these issues, gaining skills to interpret and address the challenges of our increasingly AI-driven world.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Critically analyse key concepts and perspectives used in the sociological analysis of digital technologies to evaluate their role in understanding a range of digitally enabled social harms. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital Literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Evaluate and explain the intersection of digital technologies with social harms (such as conspiracy theories, hate-speech, and violence) and apply social research methodologies to critically analyse their role in the context of AI-enabled technologies. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital Literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Apply skills in the use and analysis of digital communication tools | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO4 | Critically evaluate the pros and cons of regulatory practices and policies intended to counter a range of digitally enabled social harms. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Case study presentation (live or recorded) | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 11 |
| Assessment 2: Report | 1600 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 3: Policy Proposal | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ASC320 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.