The Brian Lehrer Show Avoiding Fake News in the AI Era
Jan 8, 2026
Craig Silverman, co-founder of Indicator, dives into the murky waters of AI-generated content and misinformation. He highlights how 2025 marked a shift in fact-checking policies, allowing for a surge in deceptive content. Silverman discusses the threats posed by deepfakes, especially to vulnerable individuals, and emphasizes the importance of verifying shocking cellphone videos. He offers practical tips for spotting scams and the failures of platforms in labeling AI content. His insights provide a roadmap for navigating the chaotic digital landscape.
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2025 Was A Turning Point For AI Content
- 2025 marked a turning point where many AI guardrails were rolled back across platforms.
- This rollback exposed users to far more AI-generated and misleading content online.
Platforms Rolled Back Safety Under Political Pressure
- Platforms removed decades of trust-and-safety measures after political pressure following Trump's election.
- That retreat led to an avalanche of low-quality and deceptive AI-driven content, Craig Silverman says.
Different Actors Produce Similar Misinformation
- Misleading political content stems from both ideological actors and financially motivated fraudsters.
- It's often impossible to tell motivations at first because different actors push identical narratives for different reasons.