Abstract of Dr. Chen's Invited Talk

In an era witnessing the proliferation of misinformation rampant on social media, distinguishing truth from falsehood has never been more crucial. The keynote talk "Securing Truth: Fighting Misinformation on Social Media" aims to shed light on this pervasive issue and explore technological advancements designed to combat it. This talk will begin with an introduction to misinformation and its more malicious counterparts, disinformation and malinformation, elucidating their distinct characteristics and roles in shaping public discourse on digital platforms. The discussion will then pivot to misinformation's multifaceted threats to individuals, societies, and democratic processes. It will underscore the urgent need for effective countermeasures to safeguard information integrity online. The talk will then delve into the current state-of-the-art technologies that serve as countermeasures against the spread of false information — these range from algorithmic detection to community-driven initiatives, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of existing solutions. Lastly, the presentation will introduce a novel approach rooted in digital signal processing techniques aimed at authenticating multimedia content on social media. This part of the talk will discuss the potential of these methods in verifying the authenticity of images and videos, which are often at the epicenter of viral misinformation campaigns. By demonstrating the application of these advanced techniques, the talk will reveal the promise and challenges in the ongoing battle to secure truth and build trust in the digital age.