COMBATTING DISINFORMATION
(ONGOING/IN-PROGRESS PAGE)
The Russian PsyOps and disinformation capabilities are infamous. At a time when we’re all on social media (often trying to help), it’s more important than ever we vet information before sharing.
Here are some tips and resources to vet your sources and avoid disinformation.
KNOWN RUSSIAN CAMPAIGNS
SIGNAL DISCREDITING
Signal is a well-known communication app that is considered one of the most secure messaging apps. However, Russia has been circulating rumors that it is hacked and compromised in an effort to move people to less secure forms of communication. However, Signal themselves have confirmed this is not true. Signal remains the most secure popular messaging app. Click here to download it.
KNOWN RUSSIAN TECHNIQUES:
Fake Blogs, Twitter Profiles, etc.
(Excerpts taken from Twitter, credit to Ben Collins)
I want you all to meet Vladimir Bondarenko. He’s a blogger from Kiev who really hates the Ukrainian government. He also doesn’t exist, according to Facebook. He’s an invention of a Russian troll farm targeting Ukraine. His face was made by AI.
Facebook took down two anti-Ukraine disinformation operations this weekend. They were tied to Ukraine Today, a Russian propaganda outfit created to make Ukraine look like a failed state. They used fake profiles on Facebook to make it all seem real.
“Vladimir” has a whole backstory on the Ukraine Today website. He was an aviation engineer, until he was forced into blogging when Ukraine’s aviation infrastructure “collapsed.” He also has weird ears, which is what happens when you make a face on http://ThisPersonDoesNotExist.com
Credit to Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__ on Twitter).
WAYS TO IDENTIFY A GAN IMAGE
DREAMLIKE BACKGROUND
Fuzzy, surreal backdrops are an immediate red flag. In Taylor’s case, the tiles or seams in the wall behind him seem to undulate and dissipate.
SURREAL DRESS SENSE
GANs have trouble clothing their creations. Glasses have asymmetric frames; earrings rarely match. In Taylor’s portrait, his collar has a waffle pattern (on the left) and smooth fabric (on the right.)
DENTAL ISSUES
Mouths created by GANs often look misshapen, and can have excess teeth. The right side of Taylor’s jaw appeared to have a blurry tooth and one of his left premolars seemed to merge with his lower lip.
The highlight reflected in Taylor’s eyes comes from two different angles.
HAIR, EYES AND SKIN
When a GAN has a bad hair day, it shows. Hairs can sprout from foreheads or spike out from ears and necks. Taylor’s long flyaways are typical of the unusual hair sometimes sported by GAN images. Taylor has other problems too. His skin sports brown-colored digital artifacts under his nose and on his chin. And the bright light illuminating his face appears to be hitting his eyes from two different angles at once. Another telltale GAN glitch — a water droplet-like blob — appears to be stuck between his left premolar teeth.
