Venezuela's dictator used avatars for lies; now journalists use them for truth
What goes around, comes around, I guess.
A year and a half ago, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro used AI avatars to produce propaganda under the North Korean model of pretending a trainwreck of an economy is thriving.
These avatars appeared in videos created using Synthesia software, posted on YouTube, TikTok, and elsewhere, and broadcast on the state-run Venezolana de Televisión, lied about high hotel occupancy during Carnival and profits from a baseball tournament. (The government also employs bots and paid social media users to promote specific hashtags and influence online discourse.)
But now, journalists in Venezuela are increasingly using AI avatars to protect themselves from government persecution. This approach, Operación Retuit, was developed by news collaboratives Venezuela Vota and La Hora de Venezuela.
The initiative was created in response to the growing censorship and repression following the July 28 elections, which saw at least seven journalists detained under anti-terrorism laws. The AI avatars, named "La Chama" and "El Pana," present verified, high-quality news content written by independent journalists, allowing the journalists to remain anonymous and avoid direct exposure to government retaliation.
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