Warning about the threat of fake content about natural disasters generated by AI

Increasingly realistic videos generated by artificial intelligence (AI) are a major factor in the rise of fake content spreading during flood disasters, causing public confusion and risking widespread panic, threatening national information security.

This is the warning of a Malaysian security expert in the context of an increasing number of natural disasters occurring due to the impact of climate change.

Dr. Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, a war, security and political analyst at MARA University of Technology (UiTM), said that the public is very susceptible to AI-generated videos and images. People are now facing a new era where anyone can create highly convincing videos or images related to floods, cyclones or any other disaster.

If left unchecked, this can lead to information chaos as people unwittingly believe fake content circulating on social media platforms and contribute to the creation of false narratives or perceptions, especially during times of crisis. Therefore, according to Dr. Noor, fact-checking should become a cultural norm and the public should use fact-checking platforms to ensure the information they receive is accurate.

He also warned that the threat from AI-based information manipulation could influence public sentiment, impact their reactions, and undermine public order and national security.

Dr Noor suggested that Malaysia should set up a national disaster information centre and a dedicated disaster information review unit to ensure the flow of information is more organized and accurate. A national disaster calendar should also be developed as a periodic reference to help the public prepare, while security agencies focus on enhancing rescue coordination.

Agreeing with this view, crime analyst Shahul Hamid stressed that the act of creating and spreading fake information about natural disasters has now been identified as a new threat to emergency management, as current imaging technology can create incredibly realistic flood footage in just a few minutes.

He said the phenomenon is leading to an "information disaster" and causing impacts that are not only limited to physical damage but also disrupt real information and cause panic, confusion, and hinder real communication.

Shahul Hamid warned that the problem could worsen if the public’s digital literacy remained low. The spread of fake images could also disrupt rescue operations by fire and police departments, as resources could be diverted to the wrong locations while the truly affected areas were ignored. This would increase the risk of wasted resources, delayed responses and miscoordination.

According to Shahul Hamid, emergency hotlines are also at risk of being overwhelmed by the public's constant calls to verify the authenticity of the video, meaning important calls may go unanswered. Furthermore, the spread of information that contradicts official statements also undermines public trust in agencies and volunteer teams.

Additionally, fake AI images can also be used for fraud, including fake fundraising, exploiting public empathy, and manipulating emotions, adding new dimensions to digital security threats.

As the public increasingly finds it difficult to differentiate real content from AI-generated videos, a lack of digital literacy training and public psychological reinforcement during disasters will make many people more likely to believe dramatic content, especially when social media algorithms often prioritize sensational content, causing fake videos to spread faster than official information.

Mr. Shahul Hamid stressed that the lack of a quick reference center to verify disaster-related content would leave the public vulnerable to fraud.

A Bernama survey on TikTok and Instagram found that more AI-powered videos emerged after the monsoon season, which affected several states. The fake content found included images of crocodiles emerging, tigers entering villages, venomous animals and unusual situations depicted as occurring during floods.

Many fake videos of severe flooding look very real and spread very quickly, making many users believe that these are footages taken from real images while these are completely AI-generated videos./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/canh-bao-moi-de-doa-tu-nhung-noi-dung-gia-mao-ve-thien-tai-do-ai-tao-ra-post1080179.vnp