Washington (AFP)
From misinformation campaigns on social networks to fake videos, threats to the 2020 elections in the United States are numerous, not to mention the most dangerous potentially: those that have not yet been imagined.
Digital malice is one of the major risks that could taint the results of various elections, including the presidential election, after the 2016 elections were marked by massive manipulation operations on Facebook and other platforms, mainly orchestrated since Russia.
Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, who has been investigating for almost two years a possible collusion between Moscow and the campaign team of President Donald Trump, warned against the risk that Moscow will again try to interfere in 2020 .
Beyond the ballot, several digital rights organizations point out that foreign interference and disinformation are detrimental to democracy in general, as they can increase the overall rejection of the political class that already exists among some voters.
- compromising videos -
This is the latest arrival in the panoply of professionals false news: the video "deepfake" ("deeply false"), where the sound and image have been modified through artificial intelligence technologies.
These videos can very convincingly make political candidates say anything to anyone or virtually undress them.
Considering the record number of women and minority candidates, "it is totally possible that we can see videos + deepfake + with fake unflattering images", "made to discredit them", writes in an online report Darrell West, director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Innovation Technology.
"It's very easy to manipulate photos or videos to put someone in a compromising situation," he adds.
Even if proof is made that a video is false, it can "reinforce an opinion among those who want to believe it, and divert the attention of real information", notes Maurice Turner, a specialist in electoral security.
- Moderation on a large scale -
The efforts of social networks to counter potential manipulation campaigns are closely monitored. They must also remain vigilant to fight the bots, these fake user accounts more and more sophisticated spreading false information, that anticipate threats still unknown.
Security teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter met this month with the FBI and government officials to prepare for their collaboration on election-related risks.
The eyes are turned abroad. Alex Stamos, a Stanford professor and former head of security at Facebook, believes that "Russia has probably been emboldened to start over in 2020", given the lack of reaction of the United States to the revelations of 2016. He believes that other similar attempts could come from China, Iran, North Korea and elsewhere.
Platforms must arm themselves technologically and humanely, but they must also remain open. "It is incredibly difficult to moderate content on a large scale while allowing users to talk freely and have vigorous public debate," says Turner.
- Discouragement -
Experts are also monitoring interferences to discourage voters from voting, a trend that could gain ground in 2020.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have realized that a Russian organization linked to the Kremlin, the "Internet Research Agency", had published ads aimed at reducing the turnout of non-white voters in 2016, calling on citizens to "boycott the elections" and claiming that none of the presidential candidates would care for black voters.
Some messages indicated incorrect dates for election day, encouraged people to bring guns to polling stations, or suggested that it was possible to vote by text message.
Young Mie Kim, director of the research team, fears that these groups may launch intimidation or propaganda campaigns until a few days before the vote, and recommends tackling the problem at the root, rather than false news ("fake news").
"It is much easier to identify foreign sources, and tackle them directly, than to discuss what is true or false, and how to restore the truth," she says.
© 2019 AFP