With one-third of the world preparing for the 2024 Elections, "fake news" and online disinformation has never been more rampant.
Scrolling through social media is sure to expose users to false allegations about political rivals or fake accomplishments attributed to one of the presidential hopefuls.
The emergence of new technologies only further increases the risk of a misinformed public, many of whom are eligible voters.
To combat misinformation online, here are some ways to discern election-related "fake news" on social media:
Look for AI-Generated Posts
Since AI went viral last year, many "fake news" disseminators have started using the technology to spread disinformation at a much faster rate.
Over the past year, the technology has been repeatedly used to manipulate the public's perception via deepfaked videos and AI-generated images of politicians.
The ability to discern AI-generated images and videos will be important in fighting "fake news" online, especially in political posts inciting hate, racism, misogyny, and discrimination.
AI-generated pictures can be identified by finding inconsistent details in the image, like weird-shaped hands and faces in the background, and exaggerated expressions from people portrayed.
Related Article : OpenAI to Prevent People from Using AI for 2024 Elections Disinformation
Reverse Search Images
Another method many "fake news" accounts use to deceive people is to use outdated images and recontextualize them into recent events.
Using Google's reverse search function will help identify the right time period of the image. Websites like Berify also work as a reverse search engine for videos.
Just take a screenshot or download the dubious detail, then upload it to the reverse search engines to look for its origin.
Use AI Verification Tools
"Fake news" disseminators are not the only ones who can use AI technology on online misinformation.
Since the hype of AI, several websites dedicated to verifying if an image or text has been used were launched.
Among the most popular were Copyleaks and Undetectable AI. Google itself has launched the "about this image" feature to identify AI-generated content in its Images search.
Follow Credible Fact-Check Sites
People can further see how "fake news" is portrayed today by looking for accredited fact-checking bodies.
Both Associated Press and Agence France-Presse have a dedicated fact-checking division tasked to verify dubious claims online regarding politics, war, and AI-generated content.
These two websites constantly update to check on "fake news" spreading on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X.
All fact-checks have been verified and checked by credible journalists so it is sure that the information received will be correct.
