Leveraging open data to tackle cyber disinformation
Publication Date/Time
2023-12-11T09:00:00+00:00
Innovative methods to spread disinformation require innovative methods
to counter it
In today’s increasingly digital world, protecting the EU’s cyber
realm is becoming more and more important to safeguard digital
innovation from threats and vulnerabilities. One of the contemporary
challenges identified by ENISA in its annual Threat Landscape
[https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/enisa-threat-landscape-2022]
report (2022) on the state of cybersecurity is the spread of
disinformation. The report gives examples on how disinformation online
(also called cyber disinformation) poses a challenge to democracy and
public debate and it also mentions that the distribution of
disinformation can be connected to cyberattacks.   

In this data story, we harness open data to understand the public
perception towards disinformation and demonstrate the potential of
open data as a powerful tool to combat disinformation. First, we
explore the definition of disinformation. Then we use open data to
understand the risks posed by disinformation. Next, we look at how
advanced technologies contribute to online disinformation. Lastly, we
see how technology tools powered by open data can offer a response to
disinformation. 

CYBER DISINFORMATION IN A NUTSHELL 

In the 2018 European Commission communication ‘Tackling online
disinformation: a European approach’
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0236&from=EN],
disinformation is defined as ‘false or misleading content that is
spread with an intention to deceive or secure economic or political
gain, and which may cause public harm’. Of course, people may
accidentally share inaccurate information (called misinformation).
Disinformation is distinguished from general inaccurate information in
that it is done deliberately with a conscious intent, and, in certain
circumstances, it can pose a cyber threat. 

Some of these threats come as disinformation campaigns that often use
digital channels like social media, email, and websites to disseminate
false information. These campaigns can be a means for various types of
cyberattacks, such as deceptive online identity theft attempts
(phishing attacks
[https://www.enisa.europa.eu/topics/incident-response/glossary/phishing-spear-phishing])
or the malicious spreading of harmful software (malware distribution
[https://www.enisa.europa.eu/topics/incident-response/glossary/malware]).
Technological advancements in AI and generative AI have also
introduced innovative methods
[https://www.enisa.europa.eu/topics/iot-and-smart-infrastructures] to
spread disinformation online and breach social networks. In response,
innovative methods such as tools that leverage open data have been
developed to fight the spread of disinformation. 

CITIZENS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE RISKS OF DISINFORMATION 

We can use open data to understand the risks of disinformation and its
impact on our society. As one example of an impact on society,
research by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and
Working Conditions (Eurofound
[https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/news/news-articles/trust-in-institutions-continues-to-fall-in-eu-despite-declining-unemployment-and-phasing-out-of]),
an EU agency, reported that trust in the news media in the EU has been
declining. This finding is supported by a Eurobarometer on Media and
News
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/s2832_fl011ep_eng?locale=en]
(2022) which showed a sense of doubt among surveyed respondents when
it comes to online media outlets. Notably, traditional broadcast and
print media (and the online accounts of these traditional media
outlets) rank highest on average as trusted news sources (49 % and
39 %, respectively). This holds across age groups as we can see in
Figure 1. For example, both younger respondents aged 15 to 24
(41 %) and older respondents aged 55 and above (56 %) report high
trust in traditional broadcast media, although there is a 15
percentage point difference in the levels of trust reported by these
two age groups. 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Figure%201%20%281%29.png]
_FIGURE 1: Trusted news sources in the EU-27 by age group 
Source: Eurobarometer Media & News Survey 2022
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/s2832_fl011ep_eng?locale=en] _

For online news platforms and social media channels, on average, one
in seven respondents (14 %) report that they trust people, groups or
friends they follow on social media to give them truthful news.
Moreover, 11 % trust online news platforms such as blogs and
podcasts, 10 % trust YouTube and other video platforms, and 5 %
trust influencers on social media. There are also generational
differences in these reports, with younger citizens typically trusting
online news platforms and social media channels more than older
citizens do (see Figure 1). 

Furthermore, the survey highlights a shift in news consumption habits
among young viewers aged 15 to 24. Younger respondents are much more
likely to use social media platforms and blogs (46 % of 15- to
24-year-olds compared to 15 % of respondents aged 55 and older) as
well as YouTube and other video platforms (34 % v 8 %,
respectively). 

In addition to a difference between age groups, there is also a
difference over time in which news sources are most trusted. Notably,
there has been a decline in the use of traditional news websites among
young viewers, with a 9 % decrease observed since 2018. This shift
in preference towards social media could indicate a changing media
landscape where younger generations are more reliant on user-generated
content and social networks for their information. Indeed, Eurofound
[https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/news/news-articles/trust-in-institutions-continues-to-fall-in-eu-despite-declining-unemployment-and-phasing-out-of]
identified that social media can be a potential source of unverified
news content and louder, less nuanced perspectives. 

Even though many citizens do not consider online media outlets as
reliable sources of information, most respondents to the Eurobarometer
on News and Media expressed some level of confidence in their ability
to recognise disinformation. Specifically, 12 % of respondents
reported feeling highly confident and an additional 52 % reported
feeling somewhat confident in their ability to recognise
disinformation. This suggests that while trust in online media may be
low, many individuals believe they have the skills to discern accurate
information from disinformation. 

In addition to the reported decline in trust in news media,
disinformation poses another societal risk by attempting to interfere
in democratic decision-making
[https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/new-push-european-democracy/european-democracy-action-plan/strengthened-eu-code-practice-disinformation_en]
processes. For instance, disinformation could be spread through social
media platforms, forums, websites and blogs to influence political
agendas or to trick individuals into believing false stories or
rumours about candidates. A Eurobarometer on Democracy and Elections
[https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2198] (2018)
investigated the concern citizens have about voting and election
interference. Survey respondents most often answered they were
concerned about elections being manipulated through cyberattacks
(61 %). Concern about cyberattacks manipulating elections was higher
than concern about foreign actors and criminal groups influencing
elections covertly (59 %), the final result of an election being
manipulated (56 %) or people coerced to vote in a particular way
(55 %) (Figure 2). 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Figure%202%20%281%29.png]
_FIGURE 2: The concern of citizens about elections being influenced
by different means 
Source: Eurobarometer on Democracy and Elections 2018
[https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2198] _

A Eurobarometer on Fake News and Disinformation Online
[https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2183] (2018)
reinforces this point from another perspective. The majority of
respondents (83 %) to this survey agreed that fake news represents a
danger to democracy in general (Figure 3). Specifically, the survey
showed that 45 % of EU citizens expressed definite levels of
concern, while an additional 38 % demonstrated some degree of
concern regarding the influence of fake news on democracy in general.
Cyprus, Spain, and Greece report above-average values, while Estonia,
Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania register lower percentages, though
still notably high at 74–75 %. 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Figure%203%20%281%29.png]
_FIGURE 3: The concern of EU citizens that fake news is a problem
for democracy in general 
Source: Eurobarometer on Fake News and Disinformation Online
[https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2183] 2018 _

Another insight from the Eurobarometer on Fake News and Disinformation
Online (2018) is that respondents who state that they encounter fake
news more frequently are more likely to consider it as a problem.
Indeed, 68 % of citizens self-reported to come across what they
perceive as misinformation or fake news once a week or more
(Figure 4). Among those who self-reported to come across fake news
every day or almost every day, 88 % see it as a problem for
democracy in general. The proportion is lower among respondents who
state that they seldom or never encounter fake news (72 %). 
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/Figure%204%20%281%29.png]
_FIGURE 4: Concern about disinformation on democracy in relation to
the level of self-reported exposure to fake news  
Source: Eurobarometer Fake News and Disinformation Online 2018
[https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2183] _

AI CAN FACILITATE THE SPREAD OF DISINFORMATION 

The above discussion provides a sense of the concern citizens have
regarding disinformation and the risks it imposes on society. As
technology advances, particularly in the area AI, it is important to
note that it can be a powerful tool, capable of contributing
positively to various aspects of our lives. However, technology like
AI can also be misused, enabling the spread of disinformation. 

Studies, such as for the European Parliamentary Research Service
[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2019/624279/EPRS_STU(2019)624279_EN.pdf],
have sought to conceptualise how AI can be used to spread inaccurate
information. Two widely used concepts are filter bubbles and
hallucinations. Firstly, AI algorithms can unintentionally create
filter bubbles
[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299371712_Filter_Bubbles_Echo_Chambers_and_Online_News_Consumption],
wherein individuals are more likely to see content that aligns with
what they already believe due to algorithmic bias. When individuals
engage with posts containing disinformation, they both consume false
content and reinforce the algorithm to show them more content like it.
Through repeated exposure to such content, individuals may become more
likely to believe disinformation. 

Secondly, AI systems, including generative AI can generate information
that is incorrect, biased, or inaccurate (called an hallucination).
Similar to how people can consume disinformation, so can AI models. If
AI models are trained on unreliable internet data, there is a risk of
inadvertently creating and disseminating inaccurate information. In
contrast to unintentional mistakes, generative AI could be used to
deliberately propagate disinformation. This is highlighted by the
European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
[https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/criminal-use-of-chatgpt-cautionary-tale-about-large-language-models]
who explain that AI's ability to swiftly produce authentic-sounding
text at scale presents a risk if used to overwhelm internet sources
with targeted disinformation. These emerging trends align with the
insights presented in the ENISA Foresight 2030 Threats
[https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/foresight-2030-threats]
(2023) booklet, which outlines upcoming cybersecurity challenges.  

OPEN DATA AS A TOOL AGAINST AI-FACILITATED CYBER DISINFORMATION 

Generative AI can also be used in the effort to fight disinformation
and other cyber threats, however. For example, data about
disinformation campaigns can be used to train advanced algorithms to
forecast scenario and foresee future trends. This information can
inform efforts to develop solutions that enhanced cyber defence and
resilience.  

Furthermore, in efforts to combat the challenge of AI-facilitated
cyber disinformation, several EU tools have been developed using open
data to provide fact-checking capabilities. For instance, during the
COVID-19 pandemic, the Covid Fake News Detector
[https://live.european-language-grid.eu/catalogue/tool-service/18690]
was developed based on open data and allows individuals to check news
in German about COVID-19 to determine its reliability. Another more
recent use case illustrating the power of open data is the EUvsDisinfo
database [https://euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/]. EUvsDisinfo
is run by the European External Action Service’s East StratCom task
force and uses data analysis and media monitoring services in fifteen
languages to identify, compile and expose disinformation originating
in pro-Kremlin media. The result is a unique searchable, open-source
repository which currently stores over 6500 samples of pro-Kremlin
disinformation. The task force aims to raise awareness about
disinformation and its impact on EU societies and continues to update
the database weekly and provide a trend summary. 

Open data can also be used to promote media literacy and help citizens
to spot disinformation and avoid cyberattacks. The European Digital
Media Observatory [https://edmo.eu/fact-checking/] is an initiative
launched by the EU and uses open data sources to gather and analyse
information related to disinformation campaigns. The observatory also
promotes the sharing of open data to enhance transparency and
cooperation among fact-checkers and researchers to counter
disinformation. This initiative serves as an example of how making
data openly accessible can empower individuals to critically assess
the information they view online. 

CONCLUSION 

The open data explored in this data story illustrates how
disinformation is an important concern for EU citizens. The spread of
disinformation can be facilitated through AI technologies, including
generative AI, which can be misused to amplify disinformation by
reinforcing existing beliefs and generating misleading content. These
advanced technologies present new challenges in countering the spread
of disinformation. They also present opportunities in the form of
innovative solutions to combat disinformation. 

Open data helps us understand the problem of cyber disinformation.
Indeed, insights from open data reveal that cyber disinformation
impacts individuals’ sense of security and can reduce their trust in
governmental and other authoritative sources of information. But what
is more, open data serves as a part of the solution, empowering
individuals, and organisations to leverage existing tools and create
new ones to maintain vigilance and verify their sources of
information. 

Do you have questions about disinformation, fake news, and democracy
in the EU? Translate your curiosity into insights with open datasets
on data.europa.eu. Also, stay tuned for our next data stories and
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[https://data.europa.eu/en/newsletter] and following data.europa.eu on
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_Data visualisations by Matteo Moretti and Alice Corona. _

 
