{"id":172321,"date":"2024-01-31T07:37:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T15:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=172321"},"modified":"2024-11-19T08:20:03","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:20:03","slug":"this-election-season-be-on-the-lookout-for-ai-generated-fake-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/this-election-season-be-on-the-lookout-for-ai-generated-fake-news\/","title":{"rendered":"This Election Season, Be on the Lookout for AI-generated Fake News"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year again: election season! You already know what to expect when you flip on the TV. Get ready for a barrage of commercials, each candidate saying enough to get you to like them but nothing specific enough to which they must stay beholden should they win.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What you might not expect is for sensationalist election \u201cnews\u201d to barge in uninvited on your screens. Fake news \u2013 or exaggerated or completely falsified articles claiming to be unbiased and factual journalism, often spread via social media \u2013 can pop up anytime and anywhere. This election season\u2019s fake news machine will be different than previous years because of the emergence of mainstream artificial intelligence tools.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI\u2019s Role in Fake News Generation\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Here are a few ways desperate zealots may use various AI tools to stir unease and spread misinformation around the upcoming election.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Deepfake\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve had time to learn and operate by the adage of \u201cDon\u2019t believe everything you read on the internet.\u201d But now, thanks to deepfake, that lesson must extend to \u201cDon\u2019t believe everything you SEE on the internet.\u201d <\/span>Deepfake<\/span><\/a> is the digital manipulation of a video or photo. The result often depicts a scene that never happened. At a quick glance, deepfakes can look very real! Some still look real after studying them for a few minutes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

People may use deepfake to paint a candidate in a bad light or to spread sensationalized false news reports. For example, a deepfake could make it look like a candidate flashed a rude hand gesture or show a candidate partying with controversial public figures.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI Voice Synthesizers\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

According to <\/span>McAfee\u2019s Beware the Artificial Imposter report<\/span><\/a>, it only takes three seconds of authentic audio and minimal effort to create a mimicked voice with 85% accuracy. When someone puts their mind to it and takes the time to hone the voice clone, they can achieve a 95% voice match to the real deal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Well-known politicians have thousands of seconds\u2019 worth of audio clips available to anyone on the internet, giving voice cloners plenty of samples to choose from. Fake news spreaders could employ AI voice generators to add an authentic-sounding talk track to a deepfake video or to fabricate a snappy and sleazy \u201chot mike\u201d clip to share far and wide online.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AI Text Generators\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Programs like <\/span>ChatGPT<\/span><\/a> and Bard can make anyone sound intelligent and eloquent. In the hands of rabble-rousers, AI text generation tools can create articles that sound almost professional enough to be real. Plus, AI allows people to churn out content quickly, meaning that people could spread dozens of fake news reports daily. The number of fake articles is only limited by the slight imagination necessary to write a short prompt.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Spot AI-assisted Fake News<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Before you get tricked by a fake news report, here are some ways to spot a <\/span>malicious use of AI<\/span><\/a> intended to mislead your political leanings:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n