Illustrative image. (source: TASR/AP)
For several years, fake articles on Facebook, typically in the form of paid advertising posts with Slovak personalities promoting an investment platform, have been used to take money from unsuspecting citizens.
Recently, deepfake videos have been added to the mix, with fraudsters using images from public appearances of a personality. Currently it is often President Peter Pellegrini or PM Robert Fico, before it was former president Zuzana Čaputová. In these videos, AI reads a text in the given person's voice, again promoting a platform promising a high return on investment.
Now, Slovak state institutions have established a partnership with Meta, the operator of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, reports daily Sme. The goal is to combat online fraudsters more effectively, especially on Facebook, a platform popular among financially motivated cybercriminals.
State institutions have already participated in one joint workshop with Meta representatives in late June. The conclusion was that the Interior Ministry's Centre for Combating Hybrid Threats (CBHH) is to gain exclusive options to more effectively report fraudulent practices. Among state institutions were the National Bank of Slovakia, Finance Ministry, the police corps, and others repeatedly used in fake campaigns.
The CBHH will become the main point of contact for Meta. In addition, both parties will regularly exchange information, for example on new types of fraudulent practices. This information will be shared with other state institutions, as well as citizens.
The state also plans to organise preventive awareness campaigns.
