Disinformation surrounding the current conflict is spreading rapidly online, fueled by the ease of generating realistic but false content with artificial intelligence. Experts emphasize the need for individuals to verify information and for a multi-faceted approach to combatting the spread of false narratives.
Combating Disinformation in Conflict
Individuals should verify the source of videos and images, looking for inconsistencies like facial glitches, unnatural lighting, or audio, according to experts. A key indicator is whether credible news outlets or accounts have confirmed the information.
“If a dramatic video appears only on random social accounts, that’s a red flag,” one expert added.
The current conflict was always expected to be accompanied by disinformation warfare, mirroring patterns seen in previous conflicts. The sheer volume of information circulating online makes verification challenging, potentially leading people to rely on pre-existing biases.
“If this video supports what I believe in, then I want it to be true, then it must be true,” one expert explained.
Generative AI has lowered the barriers to creating misinformation, allowing anyone to produce text, images, videos, or audio in multiple languages with relative ease. Even low-quality deepfakes can contribute to the spread of rumors and prompt debate.
While technical inconsistencies like unnatural lip-syncing or missing metadata can indicate AI-generated content, more sophisticated videos may be harder to detect. Experts recommend verifying the source and chain of custody – determining where the video originated and whether reputable news organizations have confirmed it.
Legal Levers and Public Resilience
Some countries have laws in place to address disinformation, including Singapore and Australia. While removing false content can limit its spread, some individuals will have already seen and shared it.
A comprehensive approach requires both “upstream” efforts, such as community outreach to foster understanding, and “downstream” efforts, like timely debunking of false claims. Correcting misinformation early is possible, but complete erasure is often unattainable.
Legal tools, such as Singapore’s Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, can attach corrections or restrict access to false information. However, no legal framework can eliminate misinformation entirely.
“In the end, the most durable defence is public resilience: citizens who are neither so gullible that they believe everything, nor so cynical that they don’t believe anything,” one expert concluded.
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