Background on Key Figures and Relevance
Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezolan, was recently captured by the United States following an operation ordered by President Donald Trump in Caracas. This significant event has sparked a wave of misinformation across social media platforms.
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States (2017-2021), has a history of influencing public opinion through his social media presence. His actions and statements often draw attention, making him a relevant figure in this context.
Spread of Misinformation
False Images and Deepfakes:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated images, such as a younger-looking Maduro, have been circulating online.
- An image of a US soldier posing with Maduro, who appeared to have a bag on his head, was actually a photo from Saddam Hussein’s capture in 2003.
NewsGuard’s Findings:
- NewsGuard, an agency monitoring misinformation, identified seven fabricated images and videos related to the US operation in Venezuela.
- These content pieces garnered over 14 million views in less than two days on various platforms.
Impact of AI-Generated Content:
The combination of AI-generated content in bulk and manipulated images blurs the line between reality and fiction, making it increasingly difficult for fact-checkers to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Chiara Vercellone’s Analysis
According to Chiara Vercellone, an analyst at NewsGuard, these tactics are more challenging for fact-checkers to expose because the images often appear close to reality.
Trump’s Role in Spreading Misinformation
Sharing False Videos:
President Trump contributed to the misinformation surrounding Maduro’s capture by sharing a video on his Truth Social platform. The video supposedly showed Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s fall in the streets.
- The AFP’s digital verification team discovered that this video was originally posted on TikTok last month, depicting UCLA students participating in their “underwear race” tradition.
Humorous Fictional Content:
AI-generated humorous, yet false, content has also flooded social media platforms, further diluting genuine information.
- Images and videos of Trump and Maduro together in the Oval Office or Maduro dressed in an orange prison uniform alongside other inmates have circulated online.
Maduro’s Arrival in the US and Charges
Nicolás Maduro, forcibly brought to the United States to face multiple accusations, pleaded not guilty on Monday in a New York court for drug trafficking and “narcoterrorism”.
