On the Media Big Tech Embraced Fakeness in 2025
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Dec 17, 2025 
In this insightful discussion, Craig Silverman, co-founder of Indicator and expert on misinformation, delves into how 2025 saw Big Tech embracing deception. He highlights the damaging political pressure leading platforms to scale back moderation and the rise of AI-generated fakes. With alarming examples, Craig reveals how companies monetize hoaxes and the ethical implications of relaxed impersonation rules. He also discusses the detrimental effects of skepticism on public trust and urges listeners to critically engage with content online.
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Platforms Backed Away From Fact-Checking
- Major platforms rolled back fact-checking under political pressure and business calculus.
- Craig Silverman says this pivot began after Trump's reelection and cascaded globally.
Platforms Build Tools That Make Fakes Easy
- Tech companies are actively building AI tools that enable impersonation and fakes.
- Silverman warns platforms now allow the same tools that produce entertainment to be used for large-scale deception.
Satire Page Monetized By Meta
- A Maine creator called Bust a Troll monetized entirely false celebrity quotes and now earns monthly payments from Meta.
- Silverman highlights that Meta's monetization paid him for viral hoaxes he generated.