RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION
Russian-linked cybercampaigns put a bull's-eye on France. Their focus? The Olympics and elections
French officials and cybersecurity experts from Europe and the United States have identified disinformation campaigns targeting France, orchestrated from Russia. These efforts increased significantly due to France's legislative elections and the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Few AI deepfakes identified in EU elections, Microsoft president says
Brad Smith, vice chairman of Microsoft, announced Microsoft's plan to invest 33.7 billion Swedish crowns ($3.21 billion) to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sweden over two years. Smith said that Microsoft has been training candidates for the European Parliament to monitor the situation.
Meta says generative AI deception held in check — for now
Social media giant Meta says its bid to thwart coordinated disinformation campaigns created through ever-improving generative AI is working, despite widespread concerns. Meta said it had seen "threat actors" put AI to work to create bogus photos, videos, and text, but no realistic imagery of politicians, according to the report.
Russia expels British defense attache in a tit-for-tat move
Russia declared Britain's defense attache persona non grata and expelled Maxim Elovik over espionage allegations. Tensions between the UK and Russia involve cyberattacks, targeted killings, and Russian interference in Ukraine. Britain sanctioned wealthy Russians and tightened regulations on money laundering.
Explainer: What risks do advanced AI models pose in the wrong hands?
Biden administration takes steps to safeguard U.S. AI from China and Russia by regulating advanced models. Concerns arise over deepfakes, misinformation, biological and cyber weapons, with potential threats from hacking groups and foreign governments.
EU queries X over cut to content moderation resources
The EU on Wednesday told digital platform X to explain a cut to content moderation resources, amid concerns over disinformation ahead of European elections in June. The European Commission said it wanted more information about X's "content moderation activities and resources" after a transparency report in April showed it has cut its team of content moderators by "almost 20 percent" since an October 2023 report.
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UK says to expel Russian defence attache as 'undeclared military intelligence officer'
Amid rising tensions, the UK government took decisive action against the Kremlin by expelling a Russian defense attache and imposing restrictions, signaling a firm stance against alleged Russian aggression and interference.
EU to probe Meta over handling of Russian disinformation: report
EU regulators may investigate Meta Platforms for insufficient content moderation against disinformation, especially from Russia. Concerns include political advertising's impact on elections. Multiple countries, including Georgia, Britain, and Austria, have upcoming elections in 2024.
Microsoft finds Russian influence operations targeting US election have begun
Microsoft reported Russian online campaigns influencing the U.S. presidential election, with activities including disinformation dissemination and hacking. Concerns about AI misuse in elections persist, with simpler digital manipulations having a significant impact.
Ukraine launches far-ranging drone attacks on final day of Russia's presidential vote
The Russian Defence Ministry reported downing 35 Ukrainian drones overnight, including four in the Moscow region. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there were no casualties or damage.
Russian disinformation is about immigration. The real aim is to undercut Ukraine aid
Russian disinformation efforts are targeting U.S. immigration and border security issues to sow division ahead of the 2024 election. Amplified by state media and Kremlin-linked accounts, the campaign aims to stoke outrage and polarization, focusing on crime by immigrants and the need for border crackdowns. Experts warn that such efforts seek to weaken support for Ukraine and could impact the U.S. election, with Russia's disinformation apparatus shifting focus from the war in Ukraine to U.S. politics.
Ukraine claims its sea drones sank a Russian ship; Moscow says a Patriot missiles downed its plane
Ukraine claimed it used sea drones to sink a Russian corvette in the Black Sea, releasing footage showing naval drones attacking the Russian missile-armed cutter Ivanovets. Ukrainian military intelligence agency GUR reported that the ship was patrolling Lake Donuzlav in Crimea when a GUR special unit struck it. Ambrey, a private security firm, suggested that up to six sea drones were used in the attack, each carrying around 300 kg of explosives. Russian officials made no immediate comment on the incident. Disinformation has been a part of the ongoing conflict, making independent verification challenging.
Russian lawmakers adopt resolution slamming French 'mercenaries' in Ukraine
The Russian parliament passed a resolution denouncing the alleged presence of French "mercenaries" in Ukraine, escalating tensions with Paris. Russia claimed, without evidence, to have killed a group of French mercenaries in Ukraine's Kharkiv last week. Moscow summoned the French ambassador over what it deemed "growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict."
Election wave and AI disinformation raise stakes in 2024
With elections due in countries representing half the world's population and new technologies turbo-charging disinformation, 2024 will be a major stress test for politics in the age of AI. 2024 has been labelled a "make-or-break" year for democracy, with crucial votes due in more than 60 countries, including India, South Africa, Pakistan, Britain, Indonesia and the United States, as well as the European Union. The first major test of how to survive an onslaught of AI-powered disinformation has already taken place.
Microsoft president Brad Smith says Russia is spreading Middle East disinformation
Smith said that Microsoft and its competitors were fighting against disinformation, in particular by using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Smith said that Microsoft and other companies are doing this "by creating technological tools that facilitate the detection of manipulated, modified, altered content," according to remarks translated in French by radio France Inter.
Russia's assault on key eastern Ukraine city is weakening, Kyiv claims, as the war marks 600 days
Ukrainian officials claim that Russian forces' attempt to capture the strategically important city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine is losing momentum. Ukrainian forces successfully repelled 15 Russian attacks in the past 24 hours, compared to up to 60 attacks a day last week. A Washington-based think tank supports this assessment, stating that Russian operations in the area have likely decreased.
Russian strike on cafe kills 49 people as Ukraine's president Zelenskyy urges stronger Western support
Zelenskyy noted the Granada summit will also focus on "joint work for global food security and protection of freedom of navigation" in the Black Sea, where the Russian military has targeted Ukrainian ports after Moscow's withdrawal from a UN-sponsored grain deal designed to ensure safe grain exports from the invaded country's ports.
EU law sets the stage for a clash over disinformation
A new European Union law, the Digital Services Act, aims to combat disinformation and harmful content on social media platforms. The law could force social media giants to adopt new policies and practices or face fines of up to 6% of their revenue. The law's effects could extend beyond Europe, potentially changing company policies worldwide.
Elon Musk's X is the biggest purveyor of disinformation, EU official says
Ahead of upcoming elections, Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Meta also have more to do to tackle disinformation, much of it coming from Russia, which is using social media to wage a "war of ideas" against democracy, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said.
Resist Russian disinformation as elections loom, EU tells Big Tech
Concerns have mounted in recent months about a spate of disinformation related to parliamentary elections in Slovakia on Sept. 30 and Poland next month as well as European Parliament elections next year.
PM Trudeau calls act to honour Nazi veteran in Canadian Parliament "deeply embarrassing"
Following the act of honouring a former Nazi soldier in Canada's parliament, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said that the decision to invite the Ukrainian veteran was "deeply embarrassing", reported CBC News.
Russia's war with Ukraine has generated its own fog, and mis- and disinformation are everywhere
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is shrouded in misinformation and disinformation which makes it difficult for civilians to have an accurate understanding of events. Officials from both sides have been accused of spreading lies and exaggerating their victories while staying quiet about their defeats. The modern communications technology that was supposed to improve public knowledge has made it worse. Deceptions and falsehoods reach audiences instantly, and it has become challenging to separate facts from propaganda.
Putin says fighting in southeastern Ukraine has intensified, with heavy losses for Kyiv's forces
Battles in recent weeks have taken place on multiple points along the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line as Ukraine wages a counteroffensive with Western-supplied weapons and Western-trained troops against Russian forces who invaded 17 months ago.
Twitter changes stoke Russian, Chinese propaganda surge
The platform is no longer labeling state-controlled media and propaganda agencies, and will no longer prohibit their content from being automatically promoted or recommended to users.
What do leaked U.S. Intelligence reports say? Here is a quick guide
Leaked U.S. intelligence documents pertaining to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are circulating on social media. Although officials say the documents may have been altered, they are considered genuine, as photographic scans of printed briefing reports have been disclosed. The material exposed how US intelligence has burrowed into Russia's security and intelligence services, allowing Washington to warn Ukraine about planned strikes, gain insight into Moscow's war machine and into Russian losses, but it also revealed information on countries such as Canada, China and Israel.
A year of disinformation around the war in Ukraine
These agitators have sought to depict the Ukrainian side as Nazis or suggest that Western support for Kyiv is evaporating. Russian authorities themselves have propagated the idea that some of the worst atrocities -- such as the massacre of civilians in Bucha not far from Kyiv that was discovered in April 2022 -- were staged.
US, EU team up on chip making and Russia disinformation
The two sides met outside Paris as part of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC), a forum created last year aimed largely at countering China's increasingly powerful position in the technology sector.
Why Telegram became the go-to app for Ukrainians - despite being rife with Russian disinformation
We've seen a bombardment of "imposter content" circulating - including fake news reports and deepfake videos - while Ukranians and the rest of the world have scrambled to find ways to tell the real story of the invasion.
How the Biden White House is fighting Russian disinformation
Unlike its European allies, the White House is not directly pushing the giant U.S.-based tech and social media companies that control the flow of information to billions of people to take down disinformation or accounts that spread it, administration sources with direct knowledge of the matter say.
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