Experts from the News Literacy Project have said that, because of the U.S. Elections technique, those spreading faux information on social media have observed a new weapon to steer the electorate: fake information claiming endorsements from celebrities and well-known personalities. According to a British broadcasting organization document, the News Literacy Project’s modern-day findings advocate a surge of faux posts on social media. These posts falsely declare celeb endorsements for presidential candidates in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections.
Analysis of Fake Endorsement Posts
The News Literacy Project has released a database indicating that the organization has analyzed one out of every 10 viral posts claiming fake endorsements. The report reveals that, in the period leading up to the recent presidential election, approximately 550 unique cases of misinformation emerged during the campaign.
Example of Misinformation Involving Donald TrumpÂ
One of the most recent examples of such fake endorsements involves Donald Trump, who shared a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. The post, created with the help of artificial intelligence, shows a crowd of Taylor Swift fans calling themselves “Swifties for Trump.” Trump shared the post with the caption “I accept.” However, the collage of images shared by Trump also included a fake picture of Taylor Swift wearing an “Uncle Sam” shirt. In reality, another picture, which appears to be genuine, shows a young woman wearing that shirt.
Taylor Swift’s Political Stance and Fake Endorsements
Historically, Taylor Swift has been vocal about her political views. She criticized Trump during his administration for “fanning the flames of white supremacy” and endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 elections. However, she has not endorsed any presidential candidate this time around. The report emphasizes that AI-generated posts have falsely attributed endorsements from various public figures, ranging from NFL stars to Aaron Rodgers, Morgan Freeman, musician Bruce Springsteen, and even political figures like Michelle Obama.
Widespread Impact of News
The report indicates that fake posts attributed to just these four personalities have garnered over 10 million views. The British broadcasting organization’s report further claims that Taylor Swift has not endorsed Donald Trump, Ryan Reynolds has not worn a shirt supporting Kamala Harris, and the Communist Party of the USA has never endorsed Joe Biden’s campaign.
Conclusion: Recognizing Fake News
The report concludes by categorizing all these posts as fake endorsements and fake news, highlighting the importance of discerning truth from misinformation in the digital age, especially as the elections draw near.
