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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Community Notes Are Understaffed And Weak
- Community notes programs exist but suffer from low participation and underinvestment.
- Silverman found few notes applied and warns bots will soon dominate contributions.
AI Lets Propaganda Scale And Self-Feed
- State-backed operations and political propagandists scale output using AI to overwhelm defenses.
- Generated slop can be reabsorbed into models, creating a self-reinforcing disinformation loop.
Hidden Influencer Ads Promoted By Hustlers
- A study app used undisclosed influencer accounts and staged confrontations to drive viral traffic without labeling ads.
- Silverman says TikTok left thousands of these undisclosed ads online despite FTC rules.