India launched a global alliance for promoting biofuels adoption at the Group of 20 leaders meeting in New

A first ever study of wartime “deepfake” videos has found the fake content undermined viewers’ trust in conflict footage to the point they became critical of all footage coming from warzones. The study, from researchers at University College Cork (UCC), is also the first of its kind to find evidence of online conspiracy theories which incorporate deepfakes. Deepfakes are artificially manipulated audio-visual material. Most deepfake videos involve the production of a fake “face” constructed by Artificial Intelligence, that is merged with an authentic video, in order to create a video of an event that never really took place. Although fake, they can look convincing and are often produced to imitate or mimic an individual. The study, titled A new type of weapon in the propaganda war, analysed close to 5,000 tweets on X (formerly Twitter) in the first seven months of 2022 to explore how people react to deepfake content online. The Russia-Ukraine war presented as the first real-life example of deepfakes being used in warfare. The researchers highlight examples of deepfake videos during this war including the use of video game footage as evidence of the urban myth fighter pilot “The Ghost of Kyiv”, and a deepfake of Russian president Vladimir Putin, showing the Russian president announcing peace with Ukraine. The study found deepfakes often undermined users’ trust in the footage they were receiving from the conflict to the point where they lost trust in any footage viewed. As well as the threat coming from the fake content itself, researchers found genuine media contact was being labelled as deepfakes. The study showed that the lack of social media literacy led to significant misunderstandings of what constitutes a deepfake, however, the study also demonstrated that efforts to raise awareness around deepfakes may undermine trust in legitimate videos. Therefore, the study asserts, news media and governmental agencies need to weigh the benefits of educational deepfakes and pre-bunking against the risks of undermining truth. John Twomey, UCC researcher, said much of the misinformation analysed in the study “surprisingly came from the labelling of real media as deepfakes”. “Novel findings about deepfake scepticism also emerged, including a connection between deepfakes fuelling conspiratorial beliefs and unhealthy scepticism,” he said. “The evidence in this study shows that efforts to raise awareness around deepfakes may undermine our trust in legitimate videos. “With the prevalence of deepfakes online, this will cause increasing challenges for news media companies who should be careful in how they label suspected deepfakes in case they cause suspicion around real media.” Mr Twomey added: “News coverage of deepfakes needs to focus on educating people on what deepfakes are, what their potential is, and both what their current capabilities are and how they will evolve in the coming years”. Dr Conor Linehan, from UCC’s School of Applied Psychology, said researchers “have long feared that deepfakes have the potential to undermine truth”. “Deepfake videos could undermine what we know to be true when fake videos are believed to be authentic and vice versa,” he said. This study is part of broader work by UCC’s School of Applied Psychology examining the psychological impact of deepfakes. Read More More than 500 potential cyber attacks logged every second, BT says AI being used to create child abuse imagery, watchdog warns ChatGPT and other chatbots ‘can be tricked into making code for cyber attacks’ Tinder adds Matchmaker feature to let friends recommend potential dates Google and Meta withdraw from upcoming Web Summit ‘Game-changing’ facial recognition technology catches prolific shoplifters

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 23, 2023--

Melissa Joan Hart says she was nearly fired from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" after she did photo shoot for Maxim magazine.

The Denver Broncos are out to snap a pair of ignominious streaks Sunday when they host the Chiefs just 17 days after losing for the 16th consecutive time to Kansas City

For all the success garnered over the last two years, an asterisk has accompanied the Red Bull route to Formula 1 domination. In 2021, Max Verstappen’s dramatic title triumph was shrouded in controversy after the Abu Dhabi fiasco. Last year, their mightily impressive double title glory was overshadowed by breaching the inaugural F1 cost cap. This season, entering race nine back at base at the Red Bull Ring this weekend with Verstappen holding a 69-point lead in the championship – and even that is from his team-mate Sergio Perez – there does not look set to be such a dark cloud forming this time. The RB19 is perhaps Adrian Newey’s greatest achievement yet. Verstappen’s confidence is at an all-time high, to the extent he joked in real time about a slightly misjudged approach to the kerb in Canada where George Russell had earlier crashed. And when the Dutchman has a rare off-day, perhaps in qualifying, invariably Sergio Perez is there to pick up the first-place trophy instead. Christian Horner’s team are a pristine, well-oiled machine. They claimed their 100th win in F1 last time out in Montreal. Yet Lewis Hamilton, seven times a world champion scampering desperately with the other 17 drivers on the grid playing catch-up, is willing to discuss the elephant in the room. “The [cost cap] penalty didn’t cost them anything,” Hamilton said, ahead of this weekend’s sprint weekend in Austria. “It definitely, definitely didn’t. It was so small.” Red Bull were fined £6m and docked 10% of their car development time for their £1.8m overspend, impacting their wind-tunnel runs and simulations. As emphatic as Hamilton’s assessment is, and many will argue it has a certain degree of accuracy given the scale of Red Bull’s success, the Mercedes man went further as he looks to give himself a fighting chance of a record-breaking eighth title in the not-so-distant future. "I think the FIA should probably put a time when everyone is allowed to start developing on next year’s car,” he added, referring to Red Bull no longer focusing on their 2023 car such is their current advantage and instead shifting emphasis to 2024. “Say August 1, that’s where everybody can start so that no one can get an advantage on the next year, cause that sucks. "It would make more sense. They should. Say for example you start the season and you know you have a bad car, you can just say I’m not going to bother developing this car and put all this money into next year’s car and have an advantage." The notion that the FIA should change the regulations as a result of Red Bull’s domination has been regularly concocted in recent weeks, whether it be across the paddock or on social media. Short memories, it seems. For Red Bull’s current all-out supremacy, think Michael Schumacher’s five-in-a-row with Ferrari at the start of the noughties. Think Lewis Hamilton’s six victories in seven years with Mercedes. Think Sebastian Vettel’s four on the bounce back at Red Bull to kick off the 2010s. Periods of domination are commonplace in F1. A framework is set in place; regulations set in stone years in advance. These must remain. A sudden alteration of various rules, now, would be simply unfair and unsporting. Despite that, talk of a perfect 22/22 this season is being swiftly dismissed by Red Bull. The runaway leaders are not getting carried away yet. “At a sprint weekend, so many things can go wrong,” said a typically level-headed Verstappen on Thursday. His team-mate Perez was absent, due to illness, but is expected to be fit to drive on Friday. While the second of six sprint weekends this season takes place in Spielberg – with qualifying for the grand prix on Friday before “sprint day” on Saturday – could ruffle feathers, Red Bull are massive favourites to take their ninth-straight win of the year at their home track. Ferrari did win in Austria last year, but have not won since. Mercedes are on a slow road back to the top-tier, with a bigger upgrade due next week at Silverstone. If any team is to challenge Red Bull, therefore, it could well be Aston Martin – and their imperious 41-year-old double world champion Fernando Alonso. Read More Are Red Bull now the most successful F1 team ever – and how long can this dominance last? Toto Wolff optimistic as Mercedes target improvement at Austrian Grand Prix Sergio Perez misses media day at the Austrian Grand Prix Sergio Perez misses media day at the Austrian Grand Prix Toto Wolff optimistic as Mercedes target improvement at Austrian Grand Prix What is a sprint race in F1 and how does new qualifying shootout work?

Jon Hamm is totally jazzed about being a married man.

Carlos Santana hit a pair of two-run homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates went deep four times in an 8-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night

Petra Kvitova on Saturday reached her 42nd tour final in Berlin where she will face Donna...

Lewis Hamilton will head into this weekend’s British Grand Prix with only six months remaining on his £40million-a-season Mercedes deal. The PA news agency spoke to David Coulthard, 13-race Formula One winner and Channel 4 pundit for the broadcaster’s live coverage of Sunday’s race at Silverstone, to look at the key questions surrounding Hamilton’s next deal. When will Hamilton’s new contract with Mercedes be announced? Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that 38-year-old Hamilton’s extension will not be announced at Silverstone this week, but for me, it is just a case of when they get it done. I am not aware Lewis is having a change of heart about whether he wants to go racing or not, and I don’t think Mercedes are having second doubts. Wolff said financial terms, and the duration of the next deal, have been agreed. So, why the hold-up? Mercedes will want a certain amount of time from Lewis for their partners. Mercedes will have sold sponsorship on obtaining access to their drivers. Some businesses will have signed up with the Silver Arrows because Lewis is there, rather than George Russell. Perhaps Lewis might be wanting to do fewer days or have fewer commitments? What Lewis will be signing up for goes way beyond him driving at a grand prix. It is about what rights he retains in terms of his image, and what rights he sells to the team. Mercedes are buying more than just Lewis’ driving services. They are buying his promotional image and his PR image. Could Hamilton join Ferrari, or even Red Bull? I don’t think there is any realistic chance that Lewis will leave Mercedes unless there is a major fallout. And I can’t see that happening. Who would the major fallout be with? Even if it was with Toto, Lewis’ relationship with Mercedes’ parent company Daimler is much longer than Toto’s emergence as team principal of Mercedes. How much longer will Hamilton go on for? I am sure there are quotes from drivers when they were younger, who said they could not see themselves racing into their late 30s and beyond. I am sure Lewis will have said something similar. But he’ll look at Fernando Alonso, and think ‘if Fernando, who is 42 this month, is still competitive, than why not me?’ However, the only reason for Hamilton to hang around is to try and win races and compete for championships. Scoring points will not change his life. He needs to see what Mercedes can show him that gives him the confidence he will be competitive next year, rather than having to stay around for another three seasons. How will Hamilton handle retirement? Lewis has had an incredible journey in life, with his achievements on the track, and his exposure off it. He has got a very healthy view of how it is being Lewis Hamilton – the Formula One driver that goes from country to country – and Lewis Hamilton – the individual, the personality, the celebrity. But none of those personality-driven events he goes to will ever give him the adrenaline buzz he gets from racing a Formula One car. Very few things in life will ever give him that feeling so when the time does arrive for him to retire, he has to be certain he is ready to stop. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 5 memorable races staged at Silverstone Phenomenal circuit and incredible atmosphere – Mark Webber remembers Silverstone It hurts – Lando Norris reflects on his ‘toughest season’ ahead of British GP

The town of Nanterre is shaken by nights of rioting after 17-year-old Nahel was shot by police.

The Ukrainian military on Monday said it had pushed Russian forces out of pockets of territory along front lines in the east and south of the country, building on a...