Misinformation and conspiracies ramp up following Trump's assassination attempt
OAKLAND, Calif. - In the age of social media and AI, it may be difficult to separate fact from fiction.
The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump gave us a glimpse into the kinds of misinformation tactics and conspiracy theories that are sure to dominate this election season.
It was the first such event we've seen in the social media age.
Thousands of posts containing falsehoods or misrepresented imagery went viral.
For example, within seconds of the assassination attempt, photos showing Secret Service agents smiling, as they surrounded him were widely shared on X.
A flurry of posts suggested the shooting was staged, but the photos had been manipulated.
None of the agents are smiling in the original photo that was taken by an Associated Press photographer.
"It feels like everywhere you turn you're getting conflicting reports, information, videos, imagery, mockups of the way the shooting occurred from different places and it's so hard for people to sift through all of that," said senior counsel and director of digital justice and civil rights at the nonprofit Free Press Nora Benavidez.
The misinformation expert and free speech attorney said as our social media feeds get more cluttered, we should suspend quick judgment.
"I think it's really important that we check the sources that we look to - are they credible news sources? Are they Instagram accounts or other influencers on social media platforms? Are these potentially real people or other kinds of manipulated accounts that are intended to mislead us?" added Benavidez.
Oakland resident Enrique Rodriguez Jr. said he gets most of his news from TikTok. It's where he first learned of the assassination attempt.
"That's the thing we don't," he said when asked how he knows whether something is real. "None of us really know, unless you have a specific eye to see, unless you've seen the real thing."
"Especially with AI-generated photos, 'cause they make them so real, you can't even tell what's real or what's fake," said Oakland resident Niya Epps. "I wouldn't know how to feel, I'd have to look in the comments, like ‘is this real?’ and find out the source of where it all came from."
The internet and deep fakes have complicated and created more opportunities to spread fake news, and could ultimately determine elections, according to Cal State East Bay professor of history and communication Nolan Higdon.
"Theoretically, it depends on what the evidence is, what the story is around it, when it is introduced, I think there are a lot of factors, but absolutely you could change enough minds to swing elections," said Higdon. "Especially as we see a lot of close polling in a lot of these races."
Experts say while our first instincts may be to post something on social media following a big development or event, it's important to take a moment before we reshare information and potentially further spin things out of control or context.
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