Deepfakes and the Infocalypse summary

People tend to use the terms “misinformation” and “disinformation” interchangeably. But there is an important difference. Misinformation is something that’s simply wrong, whereas disinformation is purposely intended to mislead people. 

Various countries engage in disinformation campaigns. But the undisputed master of this type of warfare is Russia.

Democracies around the world are experiencing a crisis of trust. A 2018 global survey revealed shocking figures: 64 percent of people who lived in democracies felt their government “rarely” or “never” acted in the interest of the public. But there’s another surprise from the same study. In non-democratic countries, that number was much lower – only 41 percent.

This crisis of trust has a figurehead: US President Donald Trump. 

The Infocalypse is a problem for the whole world – not just the West. If mis- and disinformation are harmful for democracies, think about what they could do to countries where freedom of speech is limited, and the rule of law is nonexistent. 

In 2019, the human rights organization Witness asked journalists and activists from Brazil, South Africa, and Malaysia how they felt about the threat of deepfakes. Their answers were strikingly similar; all agreed that their own governments were far more dangerous than foreign states. 

In 2016, a group of con men successfully stole 50 million euros from various business magnates and leaders across the world. The criminals used fake personas. One of them posed as French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The technology was surprisingly simple: a silicone mask bearing Le Drian’s likeness. 

One con man put on the mask and sat behind a desk. A French flag hung in the background. Then, he and his cronies made a series of video calls to wealthy individuals, asking them to fund secret French government missions. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves across the world. It has taken countless lives, devastated economies, and dramatically transformed our day-to-day routines. But the disease hasn’t just affected people. It has also hit our information ecosystem.

One country that’s been exploiting the pandemic to spread disinformation is – you guessed it – Russia. Much like it did with AIDS and “Operation Infektion,” Russia has also promoted a conspiracy about the novel coronavirus. 

It’s clear that the Infocalypse presents an imminent danger to societies all around the world. But what can each of us do to fight it?

Well, we can start by recognizing just how serious the problem is. You've already taken a first step by reading these blinks.