ByDr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL JOURNAL
March 22, 2024
This online disinformation campaign blamed on Russia involves not just the spreading of anti-Ukrainian fake news but also challenges Western media outlets to verify it - Copyright AFP Federico Parra
Around the world concerns are growing about types of misinformation spread through the use of artificial intelligence. In particular, malicious sites are becoming more sophisticated and distinguishing genuine news sites from fake ones can be challenging.
According to the BBC: “There are hundreds of fake news websites out there, from those which deliberately imitate real life newspapers, to government propaganda sites, and even those which tread the line between satire and plain misinformation.”
The advance of AI programs, especially Large Language Models (LLMs), which train to write fluent-reading text using vast data sets, have made the task of differentiating between sites more difficult. For example, the instant video generator Sora, which produces highly detailed, Hollywood-quality clips, further raises concerns about the easy spread of fake footage.
Virginia Tech researchers have outlined two different facets of the AI-fuelled spread of fake news sites. Then researchers have provided updates to Digital Journal.
The first area comes from Cayce Myers on what legal measures can and cannot achieve. Myers says, about the current concerns: “Regulating disinformation in political campaigns presents a multitude of practical and legal issues. Despite these challenges, there is a global recognition that something needs to be done. This is vitally important given that the U.S., U.K., India, and the E.U. all have important elections in 2024, which will likely see a host of disinformation posted throughout social media.”
Myers highlights deepfakes, which are easy to create and disseminate, as posing logistical problems. He states: “Technological developments such as Sora show why so many people are concerned about the connection between AI and disinformation.”
The second point comes from Julia Feerrar, concerning how to guard against disinformation. Feerrar notes: “AI-generated and other false or misleading online content can look very much like quality content. As AI continues to evolve and improve, we need strategies to detect fake articles, videos, and images that don’t just rely on how they look.”
Feerrar recommends assessing whether news comes from a reputable, professional news organization or from a website or account that looks suspicious.
Feerrar recommends the following approaches when evaluating the veracity of digital news articles:Fake news content is often designed to appeal to our emotions — it’s important to take a pause when something online sparks a big emotional reaction.
Verify headlines and image content by adding fact-check to your Google search.
Very generic website titles can be a red flag for AI-generated news.
Some generated articles have contained error text that says things along the lines of being ‘unable to fulfill this request’ because creating the article violated the AI tool’s usage policy. Some sites with little human oversight may miss deleting these messages.
Current red flags for AI-generated images include a hyper-real, strange appearance overall, and unreal-looking hands and feet.
Pixelated traces: Is your digital footprint putting you at risk of a scam?
By Dr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL; JOURNAL
March 23, 2024
The new law will safeguard journalists' sources and their content published online - Copyright AFP/File Roslan RAHMAN
During Spring many people tidy up and deep clean their houses. Yet it’s not only the physical world where you need to tidy up; the virtual realm is full of cybercriminals and would-be scammers waiting to steal data and money, and a messy digital footprint could be all the opening they need.
When we go online, we inevitably leave a data trail behind us. This includes information about the websites we have visited, the emails we’ve sent, and our social media activity. This trail of information can reveal our individual preferences, professional networks, habits, and even where you live – none of which you want to fall into a scammer’s hands.
Some useful advice has been sent to Digital Journal via the firmIncreditools.
Cookies
If a box pops up on a new website asking you to accept cookies, do not click ‘accept’ without thinking. If you do, you will be freely giving away your data, which may then be sold on. Your personal information is invaluable to businesses for targeted advertising.
To protect yourself, click ‘reject all’ or ‘manage’, and refuse as many cookies as you can.
Data theft
Cybercriminals want you to reveal sensitive information so they can steal your identity and obtain credit in your name, or log into your bank account and steal your money. Some also try to get you to download malware so they can control your computer and ransom money from you to get control back.
Update
To start to digitally spring clean, begin by reviewing and updating online accounts, deleting or deactivating any that you no longer use. Update your privacy and security settings on Google, making them as secure as possible, and then do the same across the social media platforms you use, making sure your personal information will only be shared with those you trust.
The importance of regularly changing your passwords and using a random password generator to make sure your password is uncrackable. Storing all your passwords in a password manager will let you have super-secure accounts without having to remember hundreds of strings of random letters and numbers.
Exercise an extreme amount of caution with any email or message that requests personal information or urges immediate action.
Furthermore, you should also update your software and applications regularly with the newest patches, as many of these updates are designed to defend you against malware and hacking attempts. Always choose to activate two-factor authentication if you can, and research reputable cybersecurity tools, such as antivirus software and secure browsers
This online disinformation campaign blamed on Russia involves not just the spreading of anti-Ukrainian fake news but also challenges Western media outlets to verify it - Copyright AFP Federico Parra
Around the world concerns are growing about types of misinformation spread through the use of artificial intelligence. In particular, malicious sites are becoming more sophisticated and distinguishing genuine news sites from fake ones can be challenging.
According to the BBC: “There are hundreds of fake news websites out there, from those which deliberately imitate real life newspapers, to government propaganda sites, and even those which tread the line between satire and plain misinformation.”
The advance of AI programs, especially Large Language Models (LLMs), which train to write fluent-reading text using vast data sets, have made the task of differentiating between sites more difficult. For example, the instant video generator Sora, which produces highly detailed, Hollywood-quality clips, further raises concerns about the easy spread of fake footage.
Virginia Tech researchers have outlined two different facets of the AI-fuelled spread of fake news sites. Then researchers have provided updates to Digital Journal.
The first area comes from Cayce Myers on what legal measures can and cannot achieve. Myers says, about the current concerns: “Regulating disinformation in political campaigns presents a multitude of practical and legal issues. Despite these challenges, there is a global recognition that something needs to be done. This is vitally important given that the U.S., U.K., India, and the E.U. all have important elections in 2024, which will likely see a host of disinformation posted throughout social media.”
Myers highlights deepfakes, which are easy to create and disseminate, as posing logistical problems. He states: “Technological developments such as Sora show why so many people are concerned about the connection between AI and disinformation.”
The second point comes from Julia Feerrar, concerning how to guard against disinformation. Feerrar notes: “AI-generated and other false or misleading online content can look very much like quality content. As AI continues to evolve and improve, we need strategies to detect fake articles, videos, and images that don’t just rely on how they look.”
Feerrar recommends assessing whether news comes from a reputable, professional news organization or from a website or account that looks suspicious.
Feerrar recommends the following approaches when evaluating the veracity of digital news articles:Fake news content is often designed to appeal to our emotions — it’s important to take a pause when something online sparks a big emotional reaction.
Verify headlines and image content by adding fact-check to your Google search.
Very generic website titles can be a red flag for AI-generated news.
Some generated articles have contained error text that says things along the lines of being ‘unable to fulfill this request’ because creating the article violated the AI tool’s usage policy. Some sites with little human oversight may miss deleting these messages.
Current red flags for AI-generated images include a hyper-real, strange appearance overall, and unreal-looking hands and feet.
Pixelated traces: Is your digital footprint putting you at risk of a scam?
By Dr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL; JOURNAL
March 23, 2024
The new law will safeguard journalists' sources and their content published online - Copyright AFP/File Roslan RAHMAN
During Spring many people tidy up and deep clean their houses. Yet it’s not only the physical world where you need to tidy up; the virtual realm is full of cybercriminals and would-be scammers waiting to steal data and money, and a messy digital footprint could be all the opening they need.
When we go online, we inevitably leave a data trail behind us. This includes information about the websites we have visited, the emails we’ve sent, and our social media activity. This trail of information can reveal our individual preferences, professional networks, habits, and even where you live – none of which you want to fall into a scammer’s hands.
Some useful advice has been sent to Digital Journal via the firmIncreditools.
Cookies
If a box pops up on a new website asking you to accept cookies, do not click ‘accept’ without thinking. If you do, you will be freely giving away your data, which may then be sold on. Your personal information is invaluable to businesses for targeted advertising.
To protect yourself, click ‘reject all’ or ‘manage’, and refuse as many cookies as you can.
Data theft
Cybercriminals want you to reveal sensitive information so they can steal your identity and obtain credit in your name, or log into your bank account and steal your money. Some also try to get you to download malware so they can control your computer and ransom money from you to get control back.
Update
To start to digitally spring clean, begin by reviewing and updating online accounts, deleting or deactivating any that you no longer use. Update your privacy and security settings on Google, making them as secure as possible, and then do the same across the social media platforms you use, making sure your personal information will only be shared with those you trust.
The importance of regularly changing your passwords and using a random password generator to make sure your password is uncrackable. Storing all your passwords in a password manager will let you have super-secure accounts without having to remember hundreds of strings of random letters and numbers.
Exercise an extreme amount of caution with any email or message that requests personal information or urges immediate action.
Furthermore, you should also update your software and applications regularly with the newest patches, as many of these updates are designed to defend you against malware and hacking attempts. Always choose to activate two-factor authentication if you can, and research reputable cybersecurity tools, such as antivirus software and secure browsers
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