Combating disinformation: AI tool targets news manipulation globally

Rising concerns over the role of disinformation in manipulating public opinion have inspired innovative solutions in the field of artificial intelligence. Preslav Nakov, a professor at the UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), has taken the lead in addressing this issue with the development of FRAPPE—the Framing, Persuasion, and Propaganda Explorer—a powerful AI-driven tool designed to analyze and detect propaganda techniques.

FRAPPE is a state-of-the-art system developed to evaluate how news articles are framed and to identify potential instances of manipulation. It utilizes advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques to assess persuasion strategies, offering an unprecedented look into the mechanisms used to influence public opinion.

Preslav Nakov, chair of the Natural Language Processing department at MBZUAI, emphasized that AI is central to the tool’s functionality. "FRAPPE analyzes, categorizes, and detects complex patterns that influence readers’ opinions and emotions," Nakov explained.

How FRAPPE Works

The tool is equipped with 23 linguistic techniques to detect persuasion and propaganda strategies such as:

• Name-calling
• Loaded language
• Appeals to fear
• Exaggeration
• Repetition

In addition, FRAPPE performs framing analysis, distinguishing the key perspectives from which an issue is discussed, such as:

• Morality
• Fairness
• Equality
• Political identity
• Cultural identity

The system offers real-time, on-the-fly analysis of individual articles and allows for comprehensive comparisons across a wide range of media outlets.

FRAPPE is underpinned by an extensive database comprising over 2.5 million articles from more than 8,000 sources worldwide. The tool is multilingual, enabling users to compare how different countries and outlets frame and present information. This capability helps expose varying narratives and biases across the global media landscape.

"FRAPPE uses AI to identify specific persuasion and propaganda techniques while providing detailed insights into the framing strategies employed by media outlets," Nakov said.

The creation of FRAPPE comes at a critical time when disinformation and propaganda pose significant threats to democracy and social cohesion. By shedding light on the subtle techniques used to influence public perception, FRAPPE empowers journalists, researchers, and policymakers to better understand and counteract these tactics.

Nakov’s innovative tool represents a significant step forward in the global fight against disinformation. Its ability to uncover hidden biases and manipulation in news content is poised to transform how information is consumed and analyzed in the digital age.

This tool will be very useful in the Middle East, where numerous media outlets and social networks disseminate propaganda and false information, often fueled by state actors.