Think that the Internet has gotten into quite a bizarre stage. There is plenty of information available, but it seems like distinguishing information that should be trusted has become somewhat challenging.
A photo can be altered. A video can be tampered with. Voice can be created or modified. And now, the AI technology has made it possible to generate text, images, audio, and videos in a matter of seconds. Of course, not all of the content on the web is fake; however, this just proves that being able to see the information is not necessarily evidence of its legitimacy.
There is another aspect of the problem. Misleading information spreads really fast. Social media platforms can boost the distribution of the content, and algorithms can determine what everyone sees based on certain signals.
Organizations working on digital provenance, such as the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), have developed standards that allow documenting data regarding the origin and modifications of the digital content.
For me, it has become particularly crucial to establish digital trust.
The problem is not limited to just manipulated pictures and videos generated by artificial intelligence.
Fraudsters may take advantage of names, logos, websites, phone numbers, emails, and social network accounts, making something seem real. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, impersonation scams cost consumers $3.5 billion in 2025 with impersonation frauds occurring via such communication channels as texts, phone calls, emails, social networks, web search, and other ways.
It explains why trust on the Internet should not be based on appearance.
Professional-looking website does not necessarily mean that the information provided there is correct. Screenshot does not necessarily prove the occurrence of events. Even a realistic video does not necessarily provide any details as to when, where, and for what purpose it was made.
Technology is also being developed to solve the problem mentioned. Information about content creation and modifications is attached to digital content using C2PA's Content Credentials.
But the system is just a tool.
Where do we go from here?
I don't think the solution is to stop trusting anything we see on the internet. It's not possible nor necessary. But we should learn to verify before we believe.
When information is shocking, overly emotional, or looks too good to be true, taking some time to find more credible sources can make a great deal of difference. For important claims, verifying whether reputable institutions and independent sources confirm that information is more powerful than a single post.
But we can use technology to help us with it. Provenance systems can deliver valuable information on the provenance of digital content. And cryptographic signatures may be used to indicate when some information on provenance has been tampered with.
Still, there is no single technology that can determine the validity of all information available on the internet.
This may be the most significant change we face.
The internet provided everyone with the tool to publish. AI is providing us with an easy way to create. Now, figuring out what's real has become a skill in itself.
