SUMMARY

Reality apathy is characterized by the perception that making a positive impact in the world is simply too hard. It is enabled and driven by the overload of negative content and false information present on digital platforms, which invokes feelings of numbness, disorientation, and indifference, eventually leading to a complete discounting of the world and the willingness to engage with it.

This publication is part of a ten-part Institute for Security and Technology (formerly Tech4GS) and Center for a New American Security (CNAS) commentary series from Tech4GS’ M. Nina Miller, Alexa Wehsener, and Vera Zakem as we dive into digital trends likely to impact democracy in the next decade. To learn more about this project, visit our Future Digital Threats to Democracy page.