I came across a fascinating read on BBC.com about fake newspaper companies in the US, which are owned and operated out of Russia; their objective? To spread misinformation. Yes, nothing new here, but read between the lines, where Sci-Fi Writers gather their ideas and see the future in the rear-view mirror.

Synopsis for novel, Feed©:

“In the year 2224, the world is a place where truth and fiction have become indistinguishable, where society has been nursed for a century on fabricated posts, altered histories, and manipulated facts. 

Every aspect of one’s life is dictated by the “Feed,” a global entity of tailored information to each individual, creating personalized realities. People live in isolated bubbles of perception, their beliefs shaped by an algorithm designed to maximize engagement rather than truth.

Enter O, who stumbles upon a hidden cache of unaltered records from the 21st century. As O delves deeper into these relics of the past, he begins to see the stark contrast between then and now. Driven by a desire to uncover the truth, O forms a clandestine group called “VeriFire” who are determined to burn down the Feed through its own memes.”

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The other morning I was invited by a friend, who each Monday he and a crew finds a quiet little breakfast place to catch up and solve the worlds problems.

What I noticed among the facts presented to support a statement or argument came from posts presented on their smartphones: unquestioned, unvetted, untrue…. We have all seen this among among our own friends and family, but I can no longer keep up on their education of seeking out the truth before propagation begins.

If this is where we are now, how can A.I. prevent the speed of false information if A.I. is the source?

For every mousetrap their exists a smarter mouse.

But there just might be a profound effect when we approach the fork in the road. Will the weight of disinformation become so heavy that humanity will sink beneath its own wisdom or will a primitive allele, a safety mechanism for survival, be awakened where the truth will prevail and the Feed is reduced to ashes? DNA might be slow to replicate in comparison to algorithms, but genes passing the baton to their memes is a cleaver one. While the Algorithms are focusing on their Adversary (DNA), the memes will be flying under the radar.

Start by awakening your friends and family to unveil the truth before propagation.