With the election nearing, foreign entities are spreading fake news online. Here’s how to stay sharp and protect yourself from propaganda.
Celebrity news? Nah, that’s so fake
There’s fake news, and there’s fake celebrity news. Guess which one is spread the most and does the most damage on social media? You’re so smart. Yup, it’s fake celebrity news.
ExpressVPN’s 2023 Misinformation Index includes a whole lineup of our famous friends who got caught up in a mess of misinformation. Let’s dig into some of the wildest, weirdest stories.
It’s getting Musky in here
No surprise, Elon Musk topped the fake news index with 157,385 engagements. Since the Tesla boss began his reign at X, he’s been criticized for spreading false information so much that it grabbed the attention of the European Union.
Musk is sometimes the subject of fake news himself. One bogus viral video says he invented a quantum AI project to solve poverty. The clip showed Musk on the “Tucker Carlson Tonight” show, but it was debunked because the audio didn’t match the video.
In too deep(fake)
Not even Taylor Swift is immune. A fake story about her went viral on Reddit, complete with an AI-generated photo showing Swift eating ice cream in front of hungry children in Africa — apparently during her Eras tour … except the tour never went to Africa. Oops.
A photo of Selena Gomez at this year’s Met Gala ran rampant online. She wasn’t there. The deepfake creator superimposed her face onto a picture of actress Lily James from last year’s Gala.
Oh baby, baby
A video of pop megastar Rihanna went viral in November, showing her pregnant with her third kiddo with rapper A$AP Rocky. Rih Rih had just given birth in August, so fans were shocked. Yeah, it was a hoax.
Then there was the Meghan Markle conspiracy that her pregnancy was fake and that she hired a surrogate for their two kids. The royal formerly known as Prince Harry is also a fake news favorite.
Harry’s name generated 6,048 engagements on fake news stories after his tell-all biography was released. The juiciest rumor of all? That he was about to get into American politics. Could you imagine? Talk about a nightmare.
Old videos and fake news about Israel, Gaza and Hamas are all over social media
The images, stories and videos of Israel and Gaza are horrifying, aren’t they? You know what that fuels — a slew of misleading info making the rounds on social media.
Have you seen that viral video showing an Israeli airstrike? It was being shared left and right on social showing Israel’s retaliation against a sudden attack by Hamas from last Saturday. But here’s the catch: That footage is old news from May, confirmed by Reuters.
🚨 Fake news: TikTok is sending phony alerts that pop up on-screen. Classics include one about Taylor Swift canceling her Florida tour (she hasn’t) and a “BREAKING” tsunami warning in Japan after an earthquake struck. It’s all AI-generated junk based on what users post. Think before you share or react.
1,000-plus
Fake news sites tied to China that were just blocked by Google. The Glassbridge network was trying to pass off communist propaganda as “journalism.” One firm ran over 600 sites. The real question: Why did it take Google this long to spot and remove them?
Posting pics of kids on social media: Do’s and don'ts
What started as a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family has devolved into a hotbed of fake news, scams, data breaches cyberbullying and little to no privacy.
Social media has come a long way from its roots, and most news is bad. But it’s one thing to put yourself out there and another to post information about your children. Social media on its own is harmful to children without your involvement. Don’t make it worse. Consider this your tech etiquette lesson of the day.
How NOT to sound dumb online: Common mistakes and grammar fixes
The early days of social media were a place to keep in touch with classmates, friends and family. It’s devolved into a frenzy of privacy invasion, targeted advertising, trolls and fake news. Surprisingly, these are still the most popular digital platforms worldwide.
🗞️ Trust fall: Science says you’re more likely to believe fake news from an acquaintance than your best friend. That’s why so many scammers pose as long-lost classmates or distant relatives. Focusing instead on who’s sharing — not what’s being shared — could be the best way to stop fake news.
🇷🇺 The new “cold war:” Russia has a new avenue for disinformation: AI chatbots. A recent study found 10 leading chatbots spouted Russian propaganda 32% of the time. Where are they getting the info? An American fugitive in Moscow, who published over 160 fake news sites for the Kremlin. Don’t trust AI for your news — especially election news.
🚨 Fake news: News outlet BNN Breaking had millions of readers and a publishing deal with Microsoft. Turns out, they used AI to churn out error-filled, paraphrased news, making big bucks from clickbait (paywall link). The site went dormant in April, but they’ve since set up shop under a new name: TrimFeed. Stay away.
🚨 Russian propaganda: The Kremlin is using deepfakes, fake news sites and social media attacks to undermine the upcoming U.S. elections. “D.C. Weekly,” “Boston Times” and “Election Watch” are just some of the names of their fake outlets. Stick to trusted news sources. It’s going to get a lot worse in the coming months.
Stay sharp: Kremlin-backed hackers are ramping up fake news about the upcoming U.S. elections on social media and phony news sites. The goal? To weaken support for Ukraine and cause chaos. It’s not just Russia, by the way — China and Iran are poking around, too. Stick to sources you can trust (ahem, like me!).
The iPhone is getting Apple sued
Plus, jaywalkers always get caught in China, barista bots still want tips and India wants to stop fake news online.
🌄 La La Land: That “Hollywood Mountain” pic everyone’s been passing around on social? Fake news, folks. The devil’s in the AI details. There is no beautiful green mountain overlooking downtown Los Angeles from this angle, and the hotels on top don’t exist. Want to visit a real Hollywood hill? Try the Griffith Observatory.
Gemini versus ChatGPT, 23andMe hack & PowerPoint holiday wishlists
Plus, Colin from The Markup found Meta’s Pixel tracking students on sites they have to use for school. Yep, kids’ private info sent to Facebook. Also, the top celebs used for fake news — I got the list. Tips to find spy cams and get snow alerts to your phone.
Smartphone creepers, social media hate & what's ahead for Starlink
Plus, old-school TV is fading away — here’s why Gen Z is switching off. Caller Stephen had his data swiped, and I lend a helping hand. I also delve into spotting fake news, picking the best spot for your router, and quieting down those noisy group notifications.
A quick tech trick that could save you from falling for a costly scam
Seeing is believing. Sometimes, though, crooks may be able to use legitimate images to rip you off. Tap or click here for six secrets to spot fake news or scams.
What if we told you that you could keep yourself out of trouble with one of the most valuable and intuitive Google tools? Reverse Image Search may be your best friend in this regard, and we encourage you to utilize it to the fullest possible advantage.
If you do this on Twitter, Musk says you’re getting banned without a warning
Social media has had a checkered past regarding privacy and security. It’s where scammers can get your personal details to commit identity theft. Not to mention the fake news problem that’s been going around for years.
Watch out for these scams surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II
The more widespread the news, the more scams and hoaxes you’ll see. The pandemic gave rise to countless scams involving fake news, fake testing kits, and dangerous misinformation disguised as legitimate research. We saw similar tactics when Russia invaded Ukraine.