On the Design of a Misinformation Widget (MsW) Against Cloaked Science

Abstract

Amongst all types of fabricated information travelling on open social networks (OSN), scientific misinformation, or cloaked science, is particularly dangerous. Here we present the design of the TRESCA misinformation widget (Ms.W), which is both a methodology and a toolbox for investigating disinformation operations leveraging scientific communications. Ms.W follows a man-in-the-loop approach: the methodology takes into consideration ideological and psychological biases, while the toolbox integrates open source intelligence solutions for verifying the accuracy of claims and the credibility of sources. Overall, Ms.W. is a flexible investigative tool offering a REST API for advanced users, who can create and label datasets and add new functionalities to the toolbox.

Implications of Large Language Models for OSINT: Assessing the Impact on Information Acquisition and Analyst Expertise in Prompt Engineering

“…Both studies highlight AI's potential in processing and analyzing large-scale, diverse data sets, a theme also explored by (Dale et al, 2023) in the context of aggregating Twitter (X) data for cybersecurity intelligence. The potential of AI in OSINT extends beyond cybersecurity, as shown by (Arroyo et al, 2023), who develop AI-supported tools for debunking scientific misinformation. This emphasis on AI's role in combating misinformation is echoed by (Song et al, 2023), who addresses the creation of fake cyber threat intelligence, indicating the dual-use nature of AI in OSINT, a concern also raised by (Klingberg, 2022;Ranaldi et al, 2022;Riebe, 2023) explore AI's application in law enforcement, particularly in monitoring Dark Web Marketplaces and digital policing for counter-terrorism, respectively.…”