The technical possibilities are constantly evolving, and it’s difficult to predict what new types of disinformation and potential for misuse may arise. Here are just a few current examples.
False political claims
For example, in 2016, a false claim spread that the FBI accused Hillary Clinton of deleting private emails. This led to widespread speculation and political controversy. (Source: The Washington Post – “The real story behind that fake FBI agent and the plot to frame Hillary Clinton,” 2017).
Clickbait and sensational headlines
Stories with flashy headlines that often don’t reflect the actual content are common. An example might be an exaggerated health claim that is intended to attract attention but is not based on scientific fact. This has particularly occurred during the Corona pandemic and lockdowns. (Source: BBC News – “Clickbait and impact: how academia has been hacked,” 2017).
Manipulated images and videos
In 2018, there were cases of fake images being presented as evidence of certain events. One example was a manipulated image that was supposed to depict a refugee scandal. The spread of manipulated images and videos make it difficult for these media to be reliable as a verified source (Source: The Guardian – “Manipulated images of child abuse scandal in Germany spread on social media,” 2018).
Conspiracy theories
A well-known example is the moon landing conspiracy theory, which claimed that the Apollo moon landing in 1969 was staged. This theory has been supported by various groups, although it has been scientifically refuted. This area has also increased significantly. (Source: NASA – “Moon Landing,” n.d.)
Social media rumors
Rumors often spread after natural disasters. For example, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a false rumor spread that wild animals from the local zoo had escaped and caused chaos. This often happens at breakneck speed, especially on social media (Source: Snopes – “Katrina Zoo Animals,” 2005)
Deepfakes
Advanced technology can be used to create deepfakes, which use artificial intelligence to create realistic videos or audio files that make people say or do things they never actually said or did (Source: Example of artificially produced speech by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on an AfD ban procedure, https://afd-ban.de/).
These examples are historical in nature, and new cases require individual review. It is advisable to obtain current news from trustworthy news sources and always critically examine those distributed via social media or other channels.