By Adam Satariano and Paul Mozur from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/oO5uNiW
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In the era of social media and digital technology, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is fake. This is especially true when it comes to news and information, where disinformation and fake news have become rampant. In recent years, disinformation has been used as a weapon to manipulate public opinion and to sow discord and confusion. One of the most insidious ways that disinformation is spread is through fake personas and fake accounts on social media platforms. In a recent article by Adam Satariano and Paul Mozur titled "The People Onscreen Are Fake. The Disinformation Is Real," the authors explore how fake personas are being used to spread disinformation and the challenges that this poses for efforts to combat fake news.
The article describes how disinformation campaigns are often carried out by networks of fake accounts on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These accounts are created using fake names, profile pictures, and biographical information. They are often controlled by bots or human operators who use them to amplify disinformation and to spread false narratives. These accounts are designed to look like real people, and they often engage in conversations with other users to make their messages seem more credible.
One of the challenges in combating this kind of disinformation is that it is difficult to identify fake personas and fake accounts. Social media platforms have been slow to take action against these accounts, in part because it is difficult to distinguish between real and fake users. In addition, many of the people who create these fake accounts are located in countries where there are few regulations or laws governing online activity.
The article also discusses how disinformation campaigns are often aimed at exploiting existing divisions within society. For example, in the United States, Russian agents used fake personas and fake accounts to spread disinformation during the 2016 presidential election. These campaigns targeted both liberal and conservative users, with the goal of amplifying existing political divisions and exacerbating social tensions.
The authors argue that combating disinformation requires a multi-faceted approach that involves both government and private sector actors. Social media platforms need to do more to identify and remove fake accounts, and governments need to work together to establish regulations and laws that address the issue of disinformation. In addition, media literacy programs can help people to better identify and evaluate sources of news and information.
In conclusion, the spread of disinformation through fake personas and fake accounts is a serious challenge for efforts to combat fake news. It is a problem that requires a multi-faceted approach that involves cooperation between government and private sector actors, as well as media literacy programs that help people to better evaluate sources of news and information. Only by working together can we hope to address this issue and preserve the integrity of our democracy.