"In the era of the endless scroll, how closely are you actually looking at what you see? Would you be able to spot a faked image - or an AI image? Are you checking something out before you share it? I'm guessing the answer is probably no, and why should you have to? Unfortunately, some of the detective skills to spot what's real are becoming increasingly necessary in everyday life."
"When we were told about some posts doing the rounds online that were claiming to be from City of York Council, we checked them out. We also asked our colleagues at BBC Verify to see what they made of them. One claimed to be a council advert asking for people to house asylum seekers, while another was asking for volunteers to help take down St George flags. There was also a post seeking volunteers to fill in potholes. On the face of it, and at the speed most people scroll, they could pass as pretty convincing."
Misinformation and disinformation online can seriously affect elections and democratic processes. Fake posts impersonating City of York Council circulated, claiming to seek hosts for asylum seekers, volunteers to remove St George flags, and people to fill in potholes. The posts used logos, council-style presentation and contact details to appear convincing, but the council confirmed the services mentioned did not exist. BBC Verify identified signs of AI generation, including incorrect or blurry logos, wrong fonts, spelling mistakes and inconsistent hands. One content creator refused to remove fake posts because they generated income, while AI tools make such content easier to produce and harder to detect.
Read at www.bbc.com
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