Mark Last

Propaganda is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as a term denoting “ideas or information that are of questionable accuracy as a means of advancing a cause.” Originally being a neutral concept, it has become heavily associated with deliberate manipulation of facts, arguments, and symbols. The Internet has provided new and effective ways of propaganda dissemination such as public websites, online forums, social network platforms, and multimedia channels. As the state-of-the-art online tools are being actively misused by authoritarian regimes, terrorist organizations and lone-wolf hate criminals, accurate and timely detection of propaganda content remains an extremely challenging task. The goal of this survey chapter is to discuss the difficulties of developing automated methods and systems for online propaganda detection, along with the potential contribution of machine learning techniques to this important endeavor.