Amid the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, the internet has been inundated with fakes and disinformation, often utilizing artificial intelligence technologies.
Increase of Disinformation in Social Media
According to BBC Verify, numerous false videos have emerged online, allegedly showcasing Iran's military power and the aftermath of attacks on Israel. The most popular fake videos have collectively garnered over 100 million views. Pro-Israel accounts have also actively spread misinformation by sharing old protest videos from Iran and massive support for Israel's military actions.
AI Utilization in Creating Fakes
The analysis group Geoconfirmed noted that the spread of false information in this context was astonishing. Particular attention was drawn to viral videos, including unrelated footage from Pakistan and older clips from the 2024 strikes. "We see not only gaming content and videos from past conflicts but also AI-generated content being passed off as real events," the experts reported. It was also mentioned that some accounts became "super-spreaders" of misinformation, significantly increasing their follower counts.
Platform Responses and Conclusions
Many false materials were circulated through the platform X, where users often relied on the Grok bot to check the authenticity of rumors. In some instances, the bot affirmed that videos of trucks carrying ballistic weapons were real. However, in Grok's responses, the chatbot repeatedly cited materials from Newsweek and Reuters as evidence of the video's authenticity. TikTok stated that it actively combats misinformation and collaborates with fact-checkers, while Meta did not provide comments to BBC Verify.
The situation surrounding misinformation in the context of the Iran-Israel conflict underscores the importance of careful fact-checking on social media and the need for platform accountability for spreading false information.
