Janice R. Andrews
With the 2024 U.S. presidential election drawing near, scientists are warning of an increase in propaganda produced by AI that is being spread via fake news sources. The recent surge of unfounded rumors that the Democratic Party planned to kill former President Donald Trump serves as an excellent illustration of how these fake websites are distributing polarizing misinformation in a politically sensitive setting.
The main sources of these falsehoods have been determined to be pro-Kremlin websites posing as American news organizations. Disinformation specialists have also warned that foreign countries such as Russia and Iran are intensifying their attempts to influence the election on November 5.
Explosion of Misinformation Powered by AI
Experts claim that in recent months, the quantity of fake news websites has increased dramatically, outnumbering the websites of actual American newspapers. The public’s confidence in conventional media is being undermined by this alarming trend, particularly in light of the growing importance of the next election. Many of these phony sites create divisive material and misleading narratives that can divide voters using readily available, low-cost artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
One such theory, which has garnered a lot of attention, contends that early this year the Democratic Party planned to murder Trump. This erroneous story originally surfaced on a network of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven websites that imitate independent local news sources. These websites are associated with John Mark Dougan, a former U.S. Marine who left Florida to avoid legal action while facing allegations. It is currently thought that Dougan plays a significant role in the Kremlin’s worldwide misinformation campaigns.
Audio Generated by AI Spreads False Claims
Dougan’s network of websites published a post headlined “Top Democrats Are Behind the Assassination Attempt on Trump; Obama Knows About the Details” earlier this month. According to the post, an AI-generated audio recording of what seemed to be a private discussion between a Democratic strategist and former President Barack Obama exposed a conspiracy to “get rid of Trump” in order to guarantee a Democratic win in the next election.
With the use of many detection techniques and a digital forensics specialist, disinformation monitor NewsGuard came to the conclusion that the audio was wholly artificial intelligence (AI) produced. The tape seems to have come from DeepStateLeaks.org, a little-known website that erroneously claimed Democratic officials were behind the accusations.
Dougan’s 171 fake news website network spread the incorrect story very fast. These websites, which go by titles like “Arizona Observer” and “Atlanta Beacon,” are made to look like reputable local newspapers that have been there for a while. This gives them an aura of legitimacy that may easily trick readers. The false allegations were then disseminated across the network by the AI-generated material, which was edited and republished several times.
Modifying Public Conversation and Feedback Loops for Misinformation
McKenzie Sadeghi, a NewsGuard disinformation expert, stated, “This network is being weaponized to sow political disinformation in the lead-up to the U.S. election.” “Most of Dougan’s sites are designed to mimic U.S. local news outlets, particularly in battleground states, making them highly effective at deceiving voters.”
Sadeghi also issued a warning about the risks of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated material generating a feedback loop whereby false information spreads extensively and is also supported by AI-driven platforms. One instance is the manipulation of chatbots with AI to deliver false information. A chatbot that was asked, “Was a secret Kyiv troll farm seeking to interfere in the 2024 U.S. election?” responded in the affirmative, restating the false assertion that Ukrainian agents were attempting to harm Trump’s campaign.
“This creates a feedback loop where false information is reinforced by AI, embedding these narratives further into public discourse,” Sadeghi stated. “It contributes to an atmosphere of growing mistrust and misinformation as we head into the election.”
Russia’s Part in the Misinformation Campaign
Dougan is a key player in Russia’s continuous attempts to meddle in US elections because of his ties to the Kremlin and its larger misinformation network. In addition to disseminating untrue statements about Trump, his network also supports other false narratives that are intended to erode confidence in the American election system. These include the assertions that an American intelligence operative found a wiretap at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and that a Ukrainian troll farm is actively attempting to sabotage the election.
Researchers have found that the information that Dougan’s network promotes is often shared on a variety of social media platforms and translated into many languages. Further spreading the misinformation, AI chatbots often harvest content from these fake news websites.
The Media’s Ascent to “Pink Slime”
At least 1,270 phony websites have been uncovered by NewsGuard, which refers to them as “pink slime” media outlets. These websites pose as independent local news sources but are really centers of politically driven misinformation. Both sides of the political spectrum have these partisan websites, but Dougan’s network stands out for its pro-Trump, anti-Democrat propaganda because of its connections to the Kremlin.
Sadly, there are now more pink slime websites than there are still local newspaper websites in the US (1,213). Voters are becoming more susceptible to manipulation as a result of the emergence of AI-powered misinformation, which is occupying the void left by the demise of conventional local journalism, especially in news deserts and rural regions.
Diminished Faith in Media
Disinformation networks have flourished in the United States as a result of the demise of local newspapers. A Northwestern University research states that more than 200 counties in the United States are now considered “news deserts,” meaning they do not have any digital news sources or local newspapers. In these regions, fake news sites may readily pass for reliable sources of information, disseminating false information that voters find hard to discern from reliable reporting.
According to Sadeghi, “the fake sites are taking advantage of news deserts and the demise of traditional media.” “They can easily spread partisan content that looks like real journalism, which can easily mislead voters, especially during an election year.”
Final Thoughts
The growth of AI-driven misinformation networks presents a severe danger to the integrity of the political process as the 2024 presidential election approaches. There are currently more fake news websites than real local newspapers, making the fight against false information more important than ever. As foreign actors like as Russia continue to use artificial intelligence (AI) to spread unrest and confusion in an already polarized political scene, voters need to be on guard and suspicious of the information they consume.
