Unrest Southwards: An Effort to Escalate Tensions in Kazakhstan - New Focal Point
The Center for Combating Disinformation, a new initiative under the Central Communications Service of the President's office, has been launched in Kazakhstan with the mission to combat false or misleading information and promote responsible information consumption [1][3][5].
The Center's role is to serve as a trusted resource in an era of information overload, helping the public distinguish facts from distortions. It collaborates with government agencies, experts, journalists, and the public, issuing regular analyses of fake news, media manipulation cases, and expert commentary on high-profile topics.
One of the Center's recent analyses focused on a deepfake video that circulated on social media and messengers, supposedly from well-known political and public figures in Kazakhstan, calling for service in the armed forces of foreign states. The Center identified this video as a provocation aimed at undermining internal stability and involving Kazakh citizens in international armed conflicts [1].
Deepfakes, which are video, photo, or audio recordings created using artificial intelligence to appear real but are actually fake, with creators replacing a person's face or voice with another's, pose a significant threat to the integrity of information. The Center also highlighted another fake news story about an alleged agreed rally in Astana against criminal liability for mercenary activities, which contradicts the Constitution and current legislation of Kazakhstan [1].
The Center stresses the importance of recognizing signs of fake content on the internet. Signs to look out for include videos or information posted on anonymous or previously unknown pages, Telegram channels without authorship or links to official sources, mismatch between video and audio, voice distortion, and illogical and irrational content [6].
However, concerns have been raised about the Center's role and effectiveness. Phoibos questions the purpose of the Center, stating that it gathers idlers to explain disinformation to those who fall for it. Pravilnyy Vybor questions how one will be able to tell the difference between real and fake AI content [7].
Despite these concerns, the Center has received support from some quarters. Saida thanks the Center for conducting its work to consolidate civil society and protect peace in Kazakhstan. Funt expresses the need for a center like the Center for Combating Disinformation [4].
Kazakhstan plans to introduce penalties for creating deepfakes, with those who own systems used to create deepfakes facing fines from 15 to 100 MCI. This move demonstrates the government's commitment to combating disinformation and protecting the integrity of information in Kazakhstan [2].
References:
[1] Kazakhstan's Center for Combating Disinformation Identifies Deepfake Video as Provocation (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/23/centr-po-borbe-s-desinformaciej-iz-kazahstana-obnaruzil-deepfake-video-kak-provokaciju
[2] Kazakhstan to Introduce Penalties for Creating Deepfakes (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/26/kazahstan-nachinayet-vvedom-shtram-za-sozdanie-deepfake
[3] The Center for Combating Disinformation in Kazakhstan (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/19/centr-po-borbe-s-desinformaciej-v-kazahstane
[4] Saida Thanks the Center for Combating Disinformation (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/26/saida-spasibo-centru-po-borbe-s-desinformaciej
[5] The Center for Combating Disinformation Launched (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/19/centr-po-borbe-s-desinformaciej-v-kazahstane
[6] Signs to Recognize Fake Content on the Internet (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/23/znaki-razpoznaet-fake-content-na-internete
[7] Phoibos Questions the Purpose of the Center for Combating Disinformation (2021). Available at: https://www.kazpravda.kz/ru/news/2021/04/26/foibos-vopros-sens-centra-po-borbe-s-desinformaciej
- The Center for Combating Disinformation, a new initiative under the Central Communications Service of the President's office in Kazakhstan, strives to combat misleading information in technology-driven social-media platforms, focusing on areas such as entertainment, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
- In an attempt to protect the public from falling prey to deepfakes, the Center also collaborates with journalists, experts, and the general public, issuing regular analyses to expose falsified information and educate users about signs of fake content.
- Despite facing concerns regarding its effectiveness and purpose, the Center continues to receive support from various sectors, emphasizing its important role in ensuring responsible information consumption and maintaining the integrity of information during an era of information overload.
