100 “ People do not consume media the same way they did 20 years ago or even five years ago” The use of misinformation to cause chaos and disruption is far from a new phenomenon – false and misleading stories have been weaponised to create doubt and manipulate public opinion since ancient times. The digital world, however, has unlocked new and faster ways of spreading fake stories using tools that can alter or fabricate media. Misinformation has therefore become more dangerous than ever, with faked media being used for everything from financial scams and revenge porn to political propaganda and conspiracy theories. The impact upon trust in media has been stark. According to the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2024, trust in the news is at just 40 per cent across the 47 countries surveyed, with 59 per cent of respondents saying they are concerned about fake news online. Rebuilding that trust will be no easy task and will require the efforts of organisations across many different sectors, says Andrew Jenks, director of media provenance at Microsoft. “All organisations, not just media companies, must create more transparency to help their employees, customers and broader audiences quickly navigate and feel more confident about the information they’re consuming,” says Jenks. “Some of this is achieved through technology like tools and classifiers, but organisations should think through education opportunities as well. People do not consume media the same way they did 20 years ago or even five years ago. This shift warrants new ways of thinking about how organisations can help people keep informed and navigate this transformation.” Microsoft has been working to develop the necessary solutions for certifying the At a time when tools for manipulating media are more accessible than ever, Andrew Jenks of Microsoft discusses how organisations are working to ensure the authenticity of their content BY ALEX SMITH FEATURE the Fighting fakes
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