Anyone who uses the internet knows one simple fact: online safety is important! With new developments in the world of technology, online safety is changing as well. It is no longer about just avoiding bad links and using strong passwords. AI is becoming more involved in everyday aspects, which leaves people educating themselves to spot deep fake or AI-generated content.

Normally, online safety involves multi-factor authentication, lock icons in URLs, and avoiding suspicious attachments. However, generative AI has expanded those particular risks. Now, hackers and threat actors utilize cloned voices, synthetic reviews, and other tools in AI to look more authentic or genuine.

Who is At Risk?

The answer is simple: anyone is at risk of these growing AI threats.

Originally designed for the workplace, now AI is being used in other scenarios. Researchers found that about half of the senior population, at 53%, use AI, and another 42% rely on it for solving practical problems and learning new things.

Exposure to misinformation is a huge risk. About one-third of seniors who use AI, along with adults aged 39-59, reported that they came across misinformation or disinformation over the last 12 months.

Even minors and young adults are at risk. About 86% of children and aging parents stated that managing their online safety stresses them out, and about a third of this group find the ordeal overwhelming.

The New Risks with AI

Tony Krueck, the SVP of Cox Mobile at Cox Communications, states older adults have embraced AI as a helpful resource for them. This is because AI is becoming more accessible, enabling them to navigate the digital world with a feeling of confidence and independence. However, this also enables inaccurate information to spread quicker.

One primary new risk involves conversational searches. A traditional search engine would provide a list of sources the person can browse. Generative AI normally presents one single answer right off the bat with complete confidence. While the answer may be clear, the result produced by generative AI can lack details. The result is designed to sound helpful and certain, but it can still be incorrect or incomplete. Providing a single right answer is dangerous, especially if it is unverified.

Another primary risk involves shopping scams. Already, about 73% of seniors are concerned about online shopping scams. Most of these scams are already difficult to spot. However, threat actors and hackers use AI to make their schemes harder to detect, making their fake websites appear more authentic. Typically, surface-level red flags like grammar or design can help someone spot a fake online store. However, with advancements with AI, bigger red flags to spot include overly generic reviews, the pressure to act immediately, or moving conversations off-platform.

Practicing AI Safety Better

Krueck states that telecom providers must strengthen their network protections and consumer education to ensure that more people can recognize AI-generated voice scams. There should be a good balance between strengthening security measures and consumer awareness.

Cox Mobile views digital safety as a responsibility that extends beyond the network’s connection. Both employees and customers need to understand how these AI tools are being used for despicable schemes and how to avoid falling victim for one.

To put it simply, here’s how you can avoid falling for fraud: stop, verify, and ask for help when reviewing a response from a confident AI chatbot. Step outside of the AI’s interaction and speak to an actual person, but more importantly, avoid reliance on generative AI.

For more details, you can review the full article from Tech News World.

Link: https://www.technewsworld.com/story/ai-literacy-is-at-the-core-of-online-safety-180419.html

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