AI-Generated Disinformation: Alberta-US Merger Propaganda

0:00Researchers have coined the term Slapaganda for a wave of AI-generated disinformation, pushing the idea of Alberta splitting from Canada to join the United States. About 20 YouTube channels have been pumping out this content for over a year, racking up 40 million views in total. These channels are highly coordinated, sharing videos that cite fake polls and hype up political deals that aren't even on the table yet. They chop up old news clips, strip away context, and spit out scripts straight from AI tools. Experts from the media ecosystem observatory, a joint effort by McGill and Toronto universities, broke this down in their report. Analyst Chris Ross calls the stuff straight up lies designed to stir the pot, and it's part of a bigger pattern on YouTube across political hot. Buttons. The draw? It's easy cast from all that engagement, feeding it to high demand for divisive content. Ross wants governments and platforms to step up with better checks, especially on political AI Slop.

1:00Their report lays out fixes like sharing promo data, and viewer stats with researchers, plus bringing community notes to YouTube. Text racing ahead, so platforms got a hustle to keep disinformation from running wild. That's your update from Calgary News today, powered by AI, I'm Cory with the Story.