Automated Online Manipulation - Threat Analysis and Policy Solutions
Natalia Maj, Mac Jordan, Jonathan Dao
Mentored by Elsa Donnat, Sebastian Elmes
Working report from the SPAR program. May not reflect the authors' current views.
Abstract
This project investigates emerging online manipulation threats posed by sophisticated AI agents and proposes targeted policy interventions to mitigate the risks. Unlike non-agentic AI systems, AI agents possess autonomy, adaptability, and the capacity for complex, personalised interaction, making them uniquely powerful tools for large-scale manipulation. These capabilities give rise to novel threat models that challenge the assumptions underpinning current legal frameworks, exposing critical vulnerabilities in existing governance structures. Focusing on the UK regulatory landscape, and in particular the Online Safety Act 2023 - the purpose of which is to protect users’ safety online - this project aims to develop actionable, scalable policy solutions to address the associated governance gaps.