Social media has been flooded with misinformation in the wake of US hurricanes Milton and Helene. An RMIT media expert explains why this occurs and how to spot a fake.
Dr T.J. Thomson, visual communication and digital media expert
"The accessibility of digital editing tools and the increasing sophistication of Gen AI means it's easier than ever to create fake images and videos - or share de-contextualised content.
"Time is money in the online attention economy. These types of visuals are captured, created and shared because people will often do anything they can to grab eyeballs.
"This type of visual misinformation is also spread for political reasons or to sow general cynicism, discord, and doubt.
"Lax social media regulation and the difficulty of quickly fact-checking online content means that audiences are increasingly required to rely on their own judgement to spot a fake image.
"It's important to consider any visual cues and inconsistencies in the image, and the broader context, such as who made the post and whether the image has been corroborated by reputable sources."
Dr T.J. Thomson is an expert in visual communication and digital media at RMIT University and is leading a project addressing online misinformation. He is a former photojournalist and is an affiliate researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.
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