Deepfakes & Disinformation: AI-Fueled Online Harms Threaten Global Stability – Report Reveals $200M in Losses & Election Nullification
By Lucas Fernandez, World-Today-News.com – July 10, 2025
Key Takeaway: A new report from the AI Asia Pacific Institute (AIAPI) and Netsafe warns of a rapidly escalating crisis: the weaponization of artificial intelligence to create and spread online harms, including deepfakes, disinformation, and malicious content. The findings reveal a staggering $200 million lost to deepfake scams in the first quarter of 2025 alone, and highlight the alarming potential for AI to destabilize democratic processes – as evidenced by the recent nullification of a presidential election in Romania.
the digital world is facing a new wave of threats as artificial intelligence (AI) empowers malicious actors with unprecedented capabilities. From elegant scams to politically motivated disinformation campaigns, the rise of generative AI – technology allowing anyone to create realistic synthetic content – is dramatically amplifying existing online risks and introducing entirely new ones.
“We’re seeing a fundamental shift in the online safety landscape,” explains Kelly Forbes, President and Executive Director of AIAPI, a global non-profit dedicated to responsible AI progress in the Asia-pacific region. “The speed and scale at which AI can now generate and distribute harmful content is outpacing our ability to respond.”
deepfakes: A $200 Million Problem & Beyond
The report details the growing prevalence of deepfakes – manipulated videos, images, and audio designed to deceive. These aren’t just harmless pranks. The financial toll is already important. Deepfake scams impersonating individuals and organizations resulted in $200 million in global losses during the first three months of 2025, according to recent data.
But the damage extends far beyond financial fraud.Deepfakes are increasingly used to create non-consensual intimate imagery, disproportionately targeting women, youth, and children. This has led to increased instances of sextortion, grooming, and severe emotional distress, prompting countries like South Korea and Australia to criminalize the creation of such content.
Democracy Under Threat: Romania’s Election Nullified
Perhaps the most alarming finding is the impact on democratic processes. Concerns over AI-driven disinformation campaigns led to the nullification of the 2024 presidential election in Romania. This marks a watershed moment, demonstrating the potential for AI to directly undermine the integrity of elections.
The report also cites disturbing examples of AI being used to promote extremism. A recent case involved AI-generated audio of actress Emma Watson reading “Mein Kampf,” circulated online to promote Nazi ideology.
The “Liar’s Dividend” & Eroding Trust
The proliferation of AI-generated content is fueling a dangerous trend: the “liar’s dividend.” This refers to the ability of bad actors to discredit genuine content by falsely claiming it’s AI-generated. This tactic has already been observed in online discussions surrounding the wars in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, where authentic images of conflict were dismissed as fabricated.
“The constant questioning
