The Pentagon is in on AI-powered propaganda

also ft: is immorality cybercrime?

CybAfriqué is a space for news and analysis on cyber, data, and information security on the African continent.

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The Pentagon is in on AI-powered propaganda.

You don’t hear about the U.S. government as a purveyor of AI-powered propaganda every day. You might say this is because most institutions supporting the work of information analysis are US-affiliated. You could also say that the U.S. and Western governments fund the fight against disinformation and information manipulation in Africa to sabotage Russian and Chinese influence over the region. And you would be right, at least partially, but this newsletter is not about the complicated geopolitics of the fight against information manipulation. It’s about how, despite being one of the biggest funders of the battle against information manipulation, the U.S. (no surprise here) also engages in information manipulation.

According to investigations by The Intercept, the U.S. Department of Defense is seeking to build or obtain AI-powered propaganda machinery that not only propagates its influence, but can also “access profiles, networks, and systems of individuals or groups that are attempting to counter or discredit” its influence, according to a document reviewed by The Intercept.

The Pentagon also understands that AI's biggest threat is its ability to offer tailored attacks at an industrial scale, noting that the program’s “capability should utilize information gained to create a more targeted message to influence that specific individual or group.”

Ironically, many organizations funded and supported by the United States — including Freedom House and the Atlantic Council — have warned about the threat of AI in the infosphere. Officially, the U.S. has also postured itself as a target of AI-powered information manipulation, but not as a purveyor.

One of the things I’ve had to consider while writing this is whether this is a symptom of “Trump’s reckless politics” or just the U.S. being the U.S. But this is not the first time. During World War II, the U.S. Office of War Information was established to counter enemy morale and strengthen resistance movements. During the Vietnam War, the CIA engaged in covert psychological operations, including creating propaganda to influence public opinion in Vietnam and at home, which led to a "credibility gap" between the government and the American public. In 2022, Meta and Twitter shut down fake accounts promoting pro-Western views.

To be clear, both Russia and China have also pivoted to AI-powered information manipulation. I’ll also guess that they have more resources to delegate to information manipulation, seeing as they have no interest in funding the fight against it.

Is immorality cybercrime?

Egyptian authorities are once again arresting social media users. This time, teenagers are being rounded up on accusations ranging from offending family morals to money laundering. Victims include 19-year-old Mariam Ayman, known to her 9.4 million followers as Suzy El Ordonia. Mariam has been jailed since August 2nd, accused of distributing indecent content and laundering 15 million pounds ($300,000).

While African countries are used to internet suppression, North African countries, including Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, take it a notch further. Citizens get arrested for flouting conservative cultural norms and are forced to pay fines or go to prison, sometimes both.

Egypt has a long and troubled history of cracking down on online expression, such as the 2020 social media crackdown on women. Like everywhere else, social media has provided a space for young Egyptians to express themselves, build communities, and in some cases, achieve financial independence. But it has also put them on a course with a government that is deeply suspicious of any form of independent expression. Earlier this year, Egyptian authorities gave TikTok a three-month ultimatum to make sure content posted on the platform complies with what it describes as “societal and moral values,” noting reports of culturally inappropriate videos on the platform. TikTok is yet to issue any public response to this.

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