Page 100 - Cyber Defense eMagazine June 2024

Technology’s Role in Spreading Misinformation

Technology and AI are enabling ever-more sophisticated and personalized platforms to spread
misinformation, with deepfakes a particular area of concern.

Manipulated and falsified information is now the most severe short-term risk the world faces, according
to the World Economic Forum. Its Global Risk Report says misinformation and disinformation could
radically disrupt electoral processes in several economies, triggering civil unrest and confrontation, and
deepening polarized views in societies where political opinion is entrenched.

A group of 20 tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, IBM, Adobe, and Amazon,
announced a commitment in February to adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent the spread of AI
misinformation ahead of this year’s elections. AI-generated deepfake content has already been used to
interfere with the US election, when thousands of households received a fake robocall that used AI to
mimic President Joe Biden in January, encouraging them not to vote in New Hampshire’s primary
election. In February, a deepfake news report about a supposed assassination attempt on President
Macron of France spread quickly online.

Kent Walker, Google’s president for global affairs, said in an interview that given the breakneck pace of
AI development there was a danger of “micro-targeted” deepfakes being customized to influence small
but potentially decisive parts of the electorate through some social media platforms.

Alongside deepfakes, there are concerns about the repurposing of existing imagery for disinformation
purposes as well as convincingly crafted personalized emails or text messages. Where people feel a
sense of grievance or perceived injustice, receiving compelling personalized communication could be the
nudge they need to vote a certain way, or a motivation to take their frustration on to the streets.

Public disaffection with governments that have not heeded their concerns or demonstrably changed their
lives for the better is driving mistrust and cynicism, which can be exploited by misinformation, undermining
the legitimacy of governments and media sources. This mistrust can be stoked by populists for their own
ends. There is also the additional danger that genuine evidence can in turn be dismissed as ‘fake’ by
those acting in bad faith.

Multinational companies show increasing demand for political violence insurance

Political violence activity can impact businesses in many ways. Businesses need to protect their people
and property with forward planning, such as ensuring safe and robust business continuity planning is in
place in the event of an incident, increasing security, and reducing and relocating inventory if likely to be
impacted by an event. Using scenario planning and tracking risks in areas key to their operations can
raise businesses’ awareness of where political violence and civil unrest risks may be intensifying.
Companies should also review whether their insurance policy covers the impact of risks such as strikes,
riots, and civil commotion.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – June 2024 Edition 100
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