The Documentary Podcast How Russian AI targets news organisations
Nov 1, 2025
Damien Sharkov, a journalist from BBC Monitoring, dives into the alarming use of AI and bot networks targeting elections in Europe. He reveals how these campaigns aim to overwhelm news organizations with misinformation, making fact-checking an uphill battle. Thuong Le, a reporter for BBC Vietnamese, unpacks the myths surrounding Anh Yung, a Vietnamese-American scientist falsely linked to bomb-making. She shares Anh's incredible journey from a refugee to a notable chemical engineer and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated field.
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Bots Drive Targeted Election Disinformation
- Networks of bot accounts are being used to push tailored disinformation around European elections.
- Bots often show AI-generated profiles, low follower counts, and bursty synchronized activity.
Professor's Words Recast By AI
- An AI-edited video reused a French professor's real geology remarks to make him attack Moldova's pro-EU president.
- The clip repurposed genuine footage but put fabricated political words in his mouth.
Fake WSJ-Style Clip About Celebrities
- A spoof video mimicked the Wall Street Journal to claim USAID flew celebrities to Ukraine.
- The clip originated in Russian Telegram and was reposted across X and Blue Sky.