On Thursday, July 24 we discussed fake news, how AI and social media are spreading it, and how best to deal with the problem. First, we referred to some online articles to get an overview.
Future Horizons: Can Truth Survive in the Digital Age? – Social Media’s Impact on Facts and Reality
https://www.honestfacerecords.com/future-horizons-can-truth-survive-in-the-digital-age/
Truth used to be simple – it was what matched the facts in the real world. Now, social media and online spaces have made truth more complex and personal. Different groups can look at the same facts and come up with totally different versions of what’s true.
The rise of AI and digital tools has added new layers to this mix. People can create fake videos, edit photos, and spread made-up stories that look totally real. This makes it harder to spot what’s authentic.
The digital age has transformed how people find and share information. Social media, AI, and instant communication have created a world where false claims spread as fast as facts.
Fact or Fiction? Navigating Media in the Misinformation Age
https://www.hood.edu/discover/stories/fact-or-fiction-navigating-media-misinformation-age
The simple meaning of the word “news” has changed in the last 25 years. Prior to the digital age, if you owned a printing press or a satellite dish, you were the arbiter of what was newsworthy, what was important to society. Today, every single one of us is, because if you have a social media feed, you can distribute information that you think is important. If it’s important to your followers on social media that you had a ham sandwich for lunch today, then that’s newsworthy to them. The point of the matter is that everybody can control what is important, so if you find an audience of people who all agree this is something that is important, who’s to say that’s not news? We’ve lost control over what news should be, so to speak.
Don’t look for a fact checker. You are your fact checker. We need to be aware of what tools are out there. How can you find out who is supporting this organization that’s giving you this information? Who’s funding it? What’s their history? Don’t rely on somebody else to tell you that you should trust this, or you shouldn’t trust that. We need to have those skills ourselves.
Media ownership is a big element. Who owns the media that you’re consuming? There are about six different companies that own the entire mainstream media universe. Being aware of that will help you slow down, and it doesn’t negate everything the mainstream media says, but it’s something to be aware of. I also want to defend a free press. We need media. I think there are good people who are pursuing journalism for the sake of informing citizens and holding government accountable. With the good has come some bad, and embracing it, being sober with it, all of that takes some work.
Fake News: How to Tell the Truth from Fiction in the Age of Digital Media
https://www.offisync.com/fake-news-how-to-tell-the-truth-from-fiction-in-the-age-of-digital-media/
There are specific markers that can help you suspect you’re looking at a fake news story. First, check the source. Reliable media outlets — both local and international — always indicate the author, date of publication, and rely on verified data. If the news appears on a website without contact information, has a suspicious domain name or unprofessional layout, that’s a red flag.
Second, pay attention to the headline. Fake news stories often use overly emotional phrases, all caps, exclamation marks, and words like “shock,” “scandal,” or “exposed.” These are designed to attract attention but don’t promise accurate content.
Third — facts and references. Check whether the article includes specific numbers, names, studies, or official sources. Real journalistic work always rests on clearly identified data. Fakes often rely on “anonymous experts” or provide no sources at all.
Finally, see whether other media outlets are covering the story. If important information appears on only one site or in a single Telegram channel and nowhere else, it’s likely false. Even regional or international news, if true, is usually reported by multiple sources within a short period.
Decoding Misinformation: Why we fall for fake news
https://www.ipsos.com/en-ch/decoding-misinformation-why-we-fall-for-fake-news
Research shows that people do not misjudge information randomly; rather, their perceptions are shaped by cognitive biases, media consumption habits, and levels of institutional trust.
Cultural context matters: The ability to discern between real and fake news, and the factors influencing it, varies significantly across countries, highlighting the need for tailored, culture-specific strategies to combat misinformation.
Emotions influence judgement: Emotional response to news headlines can sway our initial judgement of their truthfulness. Fostering awareness of emotional biases and encouraging fact-checking before forming conclusions can help improve truth discernment.
Critical thinking skills are key: Research shows that exerting cognitive functions, particularly inhibition, improves truth discernment. Educational programmes should incorporate exercises that encourage analytical thinking, source verification, and emotional awareness.
We then watched some videos highlighting how using cinematic tricks and AI generated material can be attractive and convincing. YouTube video creators make money when people view their material, so it makes sense to make clips which become viral. There are many tools to generate videos using AI. You don’t need any video editing capabilities, just write a descriptive “prompt” such as “Cute dogs playing in the snow”, and the tool will create a video for you. The more sensational the clip, the more views it will get and the more money you will make. Note: YouTube is now cracking down on AI-generated clips and stopping them from being monetised, although creators can use AI to enhance what they create. Chris noted the phenomenon of fake YouTube clips being used to discredit tourism in Thailand. Thai Government Urges Public to Report ‘Fake Foreigner’ YouTube Channel Spreading Disinformation https://www.nationthailand.com/news/asean/40052811
Can you spot the Fake AI ? This video compares real vs AI generated clips.
Fake Animal rescue: This is very obviously all AI generated !
How to fake flexibility – This doesn’t use AI, but instead it uses the Green Screen method to create fake but convincing acrobatics.
Deepfake Morgan Freeman – a deep-faked face and faked voice – both very convincing.
Deepfake Tom Cruise – It looks and sounds like him.
Fake Obama arrest – An AI generated clip was spread by US President Trump on his social media platform “TruthSocial”. It stirred up a huge amount of controversy. The AI video quickly went viral, with “Arrest Obama” trending on X and public debate erupting over the ethical limits of synthetic media in politics. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-07-22/three-things-that-should-scare-us-about-trumps-fake-video-of-obama