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World Congress 2025 • Aug 20, 2025 • Session details

The Four Horsemen of the Information Apocalypse: Taming the Wild West of Information Overload

Jeff Watkins

Can your code stop the next information apocalypse? Discover how engineering teams use advanced AI verification to combat toxic deepfakes, dismantle echo chambers, and prevent algorithmic platform decay.

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#1 about 5 min

Questioning axioms and objective truth in media

How behavioral science reveals that human decision-making relies more on feelings than objective facts.

#2 about 4 min

The evolution of information transmission and distribution

Tracking the accelerating phases of media from written records to internet algorithms and generative AI.

#3 about 3 min

Defining the nuances of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation

Understanding the subtle differences in intent behind false, deceptive, and context-lacking content online.

#4 about 2 min

The psychological impact of repetitive lies on populations

Why the illusory truth effect makes repeatedly encountering falsehoods highly persuasive to the public.

#5 about 2 min

Measuring the viral transmission rate of online falsehoods

How casual sharing by asymptomatic users rapidly multiplies the spread and reach of sensationalized fake news.

#6 about 3 min

Algorithmic polarization and the confirmation bias rabbit hole

How social media algorithms exploit negativity bias and moral outrage to drive deep individual user engagement.

#7 about 4 min

Generative AI accelerating the production of online deception

The risk of hyper-personalized, automated persuasion campaigns and bots overwhelming factual online interactions.

#8 about 3 min

Eroding public trust through deepfakes and plausible deniability

How convincing fake audio and video undermine critical reasoning and provide cover for real misconduct.

#9 about 3 min

Platform decay and the danger of AI-generated slop

The threat of engagement-baiting non-information drowning out useful signals and potentially causing AI model collapse.

#10 about 1 min

Leveraging machine learning APIs to combat online falsehoods

Using contemporary AI APIs and moderation tools to detect toxicity and authenticate factual information systematically.

#11 about 4 min

Building community resilience against algorithmic media manipulation

Practical media literacy tactics and ethical software development principles needed to defend the global information ecosystem.

Matching moments

1:38 min

Mitigating misinformation and navigating human attention

Martin Förtsch Martin Förtsch +1 · World Congress 2024

2:23 min

Preventing AI-generated spam in platforms and open-source repositories

Laura Thorson Laura Thorson · World Congress 2026 Europe

7:41 min

Exploring the ethical and legal implications of deepfakes

Timo Zander · World Congress 2022

2:52 min

Audience questions on deepfake detection, regulations, and ethics

Cheuk Ho · World Congress 2023

5:22 min

Balancing artificial intelligence automation with human connection and ethics

Carly Richmnd · Coffee With Developers

8:31 min

Impact of generative AI on democratic elections

Martin Förtsch Martin Förtsch +1 · World Congress 2024

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