Image by Jonathan Kember, from Unsplash
OpenAI’s Sora App Sparks Misinformation Concerns
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
OpenAI’s new social media app, Sora, is raising concerns over potential misuse.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Cameo feature inserts avatars of users, contacts, or public figures.
- Draft videos lacked visible watermarks, allowing easy screen recording.
- Experts warn Sora could be misused for scams, bullying, misinformation.
Sora enables users to produce authentic AI video content through text inputs which display as TikTok-like AI-generated video clips.
Bloomberg reporter Rachel Metz successfully generated videos which made her manager appear to perform outrageous actions such as employee dismissals and car destruction during her first attempts.
She said the clips “could easily cause someone to lose their job, and it only took me a few minutes to create them using OpenAI’s latest product.”
The app features Cameo as a tool which enables users to embed realistic digital versions of themselves and their contacts and public figures including OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman into video content. The feature exists for creating humorous memes yet users can use it to generate realistic fake video content.
Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, warned the app could be used for scams, bullying, and spreading misinformation. She said, “It creates a strange sense of plausible deniability while at the same time also creating fake evidence,” as reported by Bloomberg.
OpenAI recognized the potential dangers through their statement which stated that “Our usage policies prohibit misleading others through impersonation, scams, or fraud, and we take action when we detect misuse,” reported Bloomberg. The company implemented watermarking technology for draft clips during their development of new solutions to stop users from recording draft content which did not have AI detection at that time.
Social media content creation has taken a new path through Sora because AI-generated content now appears frequently on social media platforms.
Meta Platforms’ recent launch of a similar AI video feed called Vibes shows the competition to boost engagement, but also underscores broader concerns about the “muddying” of the information ecosystem. Bloomberg reported that Tobac said, “It will lead to a lot of the enshittification of social media”.
AI video applications gain more users but experts state that platforms need to find a balance between user interaction and safety measures and clear disclosure practices and false information prevention.
Image by ELLA DON, from Unsplash
Discord Customer Service Breach Exposes User Data
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Discord announced that its third-party customer service provider experienced a data breach, which exposed information from a limited number of users.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Attackers aimed to extort a financial ransom from Discord.
- User data accessed includes names, emails, usernames, and partial credit card info.
- A small number of government ID images were accessed during age verification appeals.
The company says an “unauthorized party” accessed information from users who contacted Discord’s Customer Support or Trust & Safety teams, apparently aiming to “extort a financial ransom from Discord.”
Discord emphasized that the attackers “did not gain access to Discord directly” and no messages or activity outside of customer support communications were exposed. The potentially accessed data includes names, usernames, emails, IP addresses, the last four digits of credit card numbers, and purchase history if provided to support.
A “small number” of government ID images from users who appealed age determinations, such as driver’s licenses or passports, were also accessed. Full credit card numbers, passwords, and other authentication data were not affected.
The company sends email notifications to affected users who can check if their account ID was compromised. Discord warns that communications about the incident will only come from ‘noreply@discord.com,’ and not by phone.
The company took immediate action by cutting off all access to its ticketing system from the third-party provider while starting an internal investigation with the help of law enforcement and a leading computer forensics firm.
The company examined its security systems that detect threats and its third-party support provider’s security controls, and informed all necessary data protection organizations.
Discord protects user information while sending alerts about possible suspicious messages to users. “At Discord, protecting the privacy and security of our users is a top priority. That’s why it’s important to us that we’re transparent with them about events that impact their personal information,” the company said.
Third-party service vulnerabilities lead to security breaches that affect users through their data management operations, even though the primary platform remains secure.
