Assignment Task
Topic : State Capture reloaded: the implications of Deepfakes and ChatGPT on professional ethics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a much more sophisticated weapon for effective disinformation campaigns compared to the bots and trolls first used during State Capture in 2016. The prescribed videos below illustrate the unethical practices of PR consultants Bell Pottinger. They used tactics such as bots and fake news in harmful propaganda campaigns to hide the criminal actions of those involved in state capture. Artificial Intelligence (AI), when used for unethical purposes, can automate propaganda to brainwash masses of unsuspecting voters and vulnerable citizens potentially. Democracies are threatened as privileged inner circles, power-hungry politicians and corrupt cadres employ spin doctors to orchestrate their dirty tricks.
Purpose
To investigate how spin doctors can weaponise AI such as ChatGPT and Deepfakes in disinformation campaigns to enable another State Capture type scenario in future. . To do this, you need to
1. Nice-to-have features:
Install the ‘Read Out Loud’ feature in PowerPoint to have a voice reading the text word-for-word in each of your lecturer’s slides. In addition, you also have the lecturer’s voice notes which explains the work to you. The video below explains:
2. Research the topic:
Watch the lecturer’s slides and videos below Click the checkboxes below:
Revise the lecturers’ slides for Learning Units 1, 2 and 4. Download the slides from Blackboard.
Watch the videos about State Capture and the role of the PR consultancy, Bell Pottinger below:
3. Ask ChatGPT to help you while working on the assignment
Think of ChatGPT as your personal tutor and student assistant. There are many ways in which the Artificial Intelligence can help you.
4. Interview a minimum of two social media experts Click the checkboxes below: ☐ The expert you want to interview must understand Digital PR, Digital Marketing or Social Media marketing well. Use Google to search for social media marketing consultants and agencies or public relations consultants and agencies. You can also search for advertising and digital marketing agencies. Find their contact details on their websites. You can also use Google to search for corporate companies in South Africa. Go on their websites for the contact details of their corporate communication, marketing or PR departments.
5. Test the access your Sway and submit it for marks Tick the following boxes:
Very important:
Test if you are using the correct sharing setting in Sway. Test the link before submitting your Sway on Blackboard. Double-check with people not in your group to make sure that outsiders, like your lecturers, can open it. Email or WhatsApp the address of your Sway to someone who is not in your group. If they can open the link, your settings are correct.