Disinformation

"This is an ongoing struggle, and perhaps the struggle of our time."

In this episode of Disinformation, Paul Brandus discusses the recent election in the Netherlands and the rise of the islamophobic and anti-immigration Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party. The Russians, known for their active measures, have been supporting Wilders, further highlighting their efforts to influence opinion in the West. Thea Gioe, a former CIA officer, joins the discussion and explains how migration issues are being exploited by various groups, including nationalist groups seeking to regain power.

[00:03:28] Migration in Sweden.

[00:05:07] Islamic immigration and crime statistics.

[00:10:08] Migration in Europe's perception.

[00:14:10] Fear of migrants' impact.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Special thanks to our guest Thea Gioe, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we celebrate our holiday break here on Disinformation, we wanted to re-share our episode from season 1 titled "A House Divided - Political Division & Disinformation's Role" - on this episode, we discuss the growing political divide in the U.S. and how disinformation fuels the partisan fire.

Americans see each other in increasingly tribalistic terms — one side or the other seems, at times, a tinderbox for violence. Adversaries like Russia, China and others are only too happy to pile on. Featuring John Cohen, former acting under secretary for intelligence and the counterterrorism coordinator, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Special thanks to our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening, we'll be back soon with more original programming.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I can filter out four or five star quality hotels and restaurants today. We can't do that with our personal information."

In this episode of the award-winning podcast series "Disinformation," host Paul Brandus discusses the need for safety standards in the information we consume. While there are regulations in place for the safety of our food, water, and air, there are none for the content we see just as often. Meredith Wilson, CEO of Emergent Risk International, delves into the challenge of discerning what is real in an era of misinformation. Tune in to this thought-provoking conversation on the need for safety standards in the content we engage with.

[00:01:54] Synthetic media and deepfakes.

[00:05:20] Regulating information and free speech.

[00:08:15] Social media and disinformation.

[00:15:07] Trust and information integrity.

[00:16:33] Information quality standards.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Meredith Wilson, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The federal government is stepping up its efforts to counter foreign disinformation."

In this episode, we explore the lesser-known agencies within the United States Intelligence Community. With the rise of false information and disinformation as a major threat, the federal government is increasing its efforts to counter foreign disinformation. The Director of National Intelligence discusses the establishment of a farm line influence center and their work in understanding the plans and intentions of key actors in this space, including China, Russia, and Iran. We also hear from Brady Roberts, COO of Emergent Risk International, and Andrea Leibman, an analyst with the Psychological Defense Agency of Sweden. Join us as we delve into the complex world of intelligence agencies and the battle against disinformation.

[00:02:11] China, Russia, Iran.

[00:08:01] Russian influence on Sweden.

[00:10:33] Deplatforming and outing actors.

[00:13:19] Government body for investigating disinformation.

[00:19:41] Government organization and enforcement.

[00:21:55] CISA

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Brady Roberts and Andrea Leibman, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"... truth is the first casualty of war."

In all times, but especially in wartime, we are challenged to separate fact from fiction. On this special episode of Disinformation, we break from our miniseries on combating disinformation to discuss the recent surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, the evolving nature of information dissemination, and the importance of verifying sources in a fast-moving conflict. We also interview Rafi Mendelson of Cyabra a company that works to combat disinformation in both this conflict and at large.

[00:11:33] Disinformation during wartime today.

[00:09:04] Fake accounts and false narratives.

[00:11:13] State actors and cyberattacks.

[00:12:48] Flood of disinformation.

[00:16:05] Deceptive Imagery Persuasion.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Meredith Wilson of Emergent Risk International and Rafi Mendelson of Cyabra. Our sound designer and editor is Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Living in a post-fact world is a scary place to be, as we learned during the pandemic, right? People don't believe anything."

In part 1 of this 3 part series on combating disinformation, we delve into the world of media literacy, critical thinking, and the battle against disinformation in Europe. Join host Paul Brandus as he explores the challenges faced by countries like Slovakia and Bulgaria, where a lack of media literacy leaves populations vulnerable to false narratives. Discover how NATO and European Union initiatives are working to combat disinformation and protect democratic values, and gain valuable insights into the fight against disinformation in today's "post-fact world".

[00:02:59] Russia's footprint in Africa.

[00:05:08] Media literacy and manipulation.

[00:09:27] NATO's disinformation defense.

[00:14:01] The impact of disinformation.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Dominika Hadju and Claudio Lusco. Sound designer and editor is Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"... this is a Doom Loop: authorities screw up, people die, trust is eroded."

In this podcast episode, host Paul Brandus discusses the dangerous spread of false narratives during natural disasters and crises. He highlights the devastating impact of Hurricane Adelia on Cedar Key, Florida, and the disinformation that followed, causing confusion and undermining trust in authorities. He also discusses the phenomenon of disinformation during other crises, such as wildfires and hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina. Just as the erosion of our environment during a climate crisis threatens our physical world, the erosion of faith in public institutions during these events can be just as damaging, and sometimes longer lasting. Brandus and his guests explore the breakdown of communication and trust that occurred during Katrina and how it continues to affect public perception. The episode emphasizes the importance of reliable sources of information and the challenges of navigating the flood of information in a crisis. Social media also plays a role in disseminating both accurate and inaccurate information during emergencies.

[00:02:43] Fact-checking and disinformation.

[00:05:26] Disinformation during crises.

[00:12:57] Communications breakdown during Hurricane Katrina.

[00:13:24] Erosion of public trust.

[00:18:10] Social media in crisis situations.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Ashley Goosman, founder of Disaster Empire, CEO of Emergent Risk International Meredith Wilson, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"What kind of company, a publicly traded company, doesn't share its most basic financial information with investors?

In this episode of Disinformation, host Paul Brandus delves into the infamous case of Enron, a Houston-based energy company that was once a Wall Street darling. Enron manipulated its financial information, misrepresenting its earnings and altering its balance sheet to deceive investors. The host also discusses other cases of financial disinformation, such as WorldCom, Tyco, and Health South, highlighting the destructive power of such deception. He raises questions about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting and preventing future instances of financial disinformation, particularly in analyzing large amounts of text data, like the 10K filings that companies submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, concerns exist about the potential risks and unintended consequences of relying solely on AI in financial decision-making, emphasizing the need for human oversight. The episode concludes by reflecting on the challenges of controlling AI-powered disinformation and the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of evolving threats.

[00:01:38] Lack of transparency at Enron.

[00:07:00] Financial disinformation.

[00:12:22] AI and financial disinformation.

[00:16:20] AI trading algorithms and risks.

Thanks to Professor Craig Lewis of Vanderbilt University for his insights. Sound from CNBC, ABC and C-SPAN. Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"It creates this sort of feedback loop of Disinformation that's happening all the time there."

On this episode of Disinformation, hosts Paul Brandus and Meredith Wilson delve into the concerning rise of disinformation in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The episode highlights the protests outside the White House during Modi's visit, where opponents accused him of undermining democracy and suppressing freedoms. The transcript reveals that India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has plummeted, with the country now ranked 161st out of 180 countries. The hosts discuss how social media and the internet have exacerbated the spread of disinformation, particularly in the context of Hindu-Muslim tensions. They also touch on the alarming prevalence of COVID-19 misinformation in India and the ease with which false narratives can be generated using artificial intelligence. Overall, the episode sheds light on the challenges India faces in combating disinformation and protecting democratic values.

[00:01:24] India's declining press freedom

[00:05:08] The Indian news "hyper-cycle"

[00:12:09] Fake cricket

[00:13:43] The ease of generating disinformation in India

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Pearl D'Souza and Kyle Walter. Our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Elon Musk's recent interview with the BBC, he discussed free speech and his vision for the platform to serve as a "digital town square." However, the challenge arises when determining what constitutes misinformation in a divided society where basic facts are contested. The episode explores the concept of disinformation and the concerns surrounding its potential resurgence on Twitter under Musk's ownership as well as on other social media platforms. Join host Paul Brandus as he delves into the complex issue of disinformation in the digital age.

[00:02:08] Peddlers of disinformation return.

[00:04:52] First Amendment and social media.

[00:10:59] Tackling disinformation upstream.

[00:12:11] Public education campaigns.

[00:16:26] Extending the Pareto Principle to social media.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Meredith Wilson of Emergent Risk International and Ella Irwin for their insights. Our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.