Center for Digital Trust (C4DT), EPFL

🔍✨ Curtain Call for Innovation in Digital Trust! 🚀 At the #C4DT-FACTORY, we're thrilled to showcase the potential of groundbreaking projects from our #EPFL labs, turning complex concepts into accessible tech demonstrations. This summer, we waved farewell to two of our pioneering demonstrators by archiving them on GitHub, but not without capturing their essence through some memorable screenshots! 📸 Our #AT2 project reimagines asset transfers by ditching energy-heavy proof of work, operating faster and more sustainably than traditional Bitcoin models. Meanwhile, #Garfield tackles the challenges of #ByzantineMachineLearning, ensuring decentralized machine learning remains resilient to failures while safeguarding privacy. As we forge ahead, we're excited to continue bridging the gap between academia and industry. Stay tuned for our upcoming hands-on workshops and the continuous evolution of projects like d-Voting and #E-ID! 🌟🔗   Find the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eZcEjrx4 #EPFL #C4DT #C4DT-FACTORY #digitaltrust #Innovation #Collaboration

📽️ The recordings of Part 3: "Counteracting Disinformation: Stakeholders’ Roles, Responsibilities, and Strategies" of the conference are available at: https://lnkd.in/dd6dEBW9 Some of the key takeaways are: 👉 Panel 2 on "Policy and Platform Accountability: Regulatory Approaches to Combating Disinformation" Panelists: Marjorie Buchser (UNESCO), Ashutosh Chadha (Microsoft), Touradj Ebrahimi (EPFL), Lindsay Hundley, PhD (Meta) and Aurora M. (Google) Moderator: Olga Baranova (CHplusplus) 💡 #Disinformation remains an evolving #threat, with major foreign actors like Russia, Iran and China using increasingly sophisticated techniques. However, AI has been more #evolutionary than revolutionary in this space so far. 💡 There's a critical need for global #cooperation and harmonized #regulations / #standards to effectively address disinformation, as it's a global issue that can't be solved by individual countries or companies alone.  💡 #Transparency from both tech companies and governments is important, including on risk assessments, mitigation measures, and content removal requests. However, #balancing transparency with #security and #innovation remains challenging. 💡 #Education and digital literacy for #citizens is crucial to build #resilience against disinformation, alongside technological solutions and regulatory efforts. 👉 Panel 3 on "Building Resilience: The Role of Media, Academia, and Civil Society in Fighting Disinformation" Panelists: Paul-Olivier Dehaye (hestia.ai), Emma Hoes (Dr.) (University of Zurich), Konstantinos Komaitis, PhD (Atlantic Council) and Sisi Wei (The Markup) Moderator: Katherine Loh (C4DT) 💡 #Trust is fundamental in combating disinformation. When trust in information breaks down, it threatens democratic processes. Rebuilding trust in #reliable #information sources and quality journalism is crucial. 💡 #Collaboration between different stakeholders (#media, #academia, #civilsociety, #industry, #government) is essential for effectively addressing disinformation, though challenges remain in aligning incentives and maintaining credibility. 💡 #Education and #digitalliteracy are critical long-term solutions for building public resilience against disinformation. However, these efforts should focus not just on identifying misinformation, but also on fostering trust in reliable sources. 💡 Transparency and #traceability in the information ecosystem, especially around data collection and monetization, are important for understanding and addressing disinformation. Tools that #empower citizens to understand how their data is being used can effectively raise #awareness. 💡 Government support for quality local journalism and public media, while maintaining independence, can help combat "news deserts" and ensure access to reliable information. The recordings of the entire conference are accessible here: https://lnkd.in/dkFGyFhe 👏 A big thank you to Laurent Bersier and Kaosmovies for the production. #EPFL #C4DT

📽️ The recordings of Part 2: "Research Frontiers: AI Technologies in Disinformation Creation and Control" of the October 1st Conference on #Disinformation, #Elections, and #AI are available here: https://lnkd.in/dpXCpNMY Some of the takeaways from the talks are: 💡 Prof. Touradj Ebrahimi discussed trends in #research and #innovation addressing challenges in AI-powered #syntheticmedia and #deepfakes. 👉 AI has accelerated the creation of manipulated content, exhibiting a dual nature with both positive applications (like content creation and communication) and challenges (such as disinformation and manipulation). 👉 Key challenges include #societal issues (e.g., deepfakes spreading faster than accurate information), the #commercial imbalance between #contentcreation and #detection tools, and the need for techno-regulatory measures like #regulations and #certification processes. 👉 Addressing AI-powered synthetic media and deepfakes requires a #multifaceted approach, including technical innovations (proactive, reactive, and collaborative methods), #standardization efforts (such as JPEG Trust), and empowering users to make context-dependent trust decisions while balancing #traceability with #privacy concerns. 💡Prof. Yash Raj Shrestha (University of Lausanne - UNIL), empasized both the potential benefits and risks of #generativeAI in content creation, highlighting the need for careful consideration of its implementation and impact on various industries and skills. 👉 Generative AI reduces entry barriers and enhances creativity when combined with human input, increasing speed and novelty in content creation, especially in design. 👉 There are significant challenges, including potential skill degradation in human creativity, intellectual property and legal issues, and the creation and spread of fake news at high volume and velocity. 👉 Organizational implications include the commoditization of early stages of creativity, the emergence of augmented collaboration in teams, and a changing value of experience in fields like software development. 💡Prof. Andrei KUCHARAVY (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), discussed the evolving nature of information operations and the potential vulnerabilities that AI and LLMs introduce, particularly in linguistically diverse countries like Switzerland. 👉 LLMs can potentially generate content in various Swiss dialects, including rare ones like Rumantsch. 👉 Switzerland is relatively unprepared for AI-powered information operations, as its complex political system and linguistic diversity have previously made it resistant to such attacks. 👉 The speaker warns against allowing large-scale sampling of Swiss German dialects, as this could enable the fine-tuning of AI models to generate more convincing local content for disinformation campaigns. The recordings of the entire conference are accessible here: https://lnkd.in/dkFGyFhe #EPFL #C4DT

📽️ The recordings of Part 2: "Research Frontiers: AI Technologies in Disinformation Creation and Control" of the October 1st Conference on #Disinformation, #Elections, and #AI are available here: https://lnkd.in/dpXCpNMY Some of the takeaways from the talks are: 💡 Prof. Touradj Ebrahimi discussed trends in #research and #innovation addressing challenges in AI-powered #syntheticmedia and #deepfakes. 👉 AI has accelerated the creation of manipulated content, exhibiting a dual nature with both positive applications (like content creation and communication) and challenges (such as disinformation and manipulation). 👉 Key challenges include #societal issues (e.g., deepfakes spreading faster than accurate information), the #commercial imbalance between #contentcreation and #detection tools, and the need for techno-regulatory measures like #regulations and #certification processes. 👉 Addressing AI-powered synthetic media and deepfakes requires a #multifaceted approach, including technical innovations (proactive, reactive, and collaborative methods), #standardization efforts (such as JPEG Trust), and empowering users to make context-dependent trust decisions while balancing #traceability with #privacy concerns. 💡Prof. Yash Raj Shrestha (University of Lausanne - UNIL), empasized both the potential benefits and risks of #generativeAI in content creation, highlighting the need for careful consideration of its implementation and impact on various industries and skills. 👉 Generative AI reduces entry barriers and enhances creativity when combined with human input, increasing speed and novelty in content creation, especially in design. 👉 There are significant challenges, including potential skill degradation in human creativity, intellectual property and legal issues, and the creation and spread of fake news at high volume and velocity. 👉 Organizational implications include the commoditization of early stages of creativity, the emergence of augmented collaboration in teams, and a changing value of experience in fields like software development. 💡Prof. Andrei KUCHARAVY (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), discussed the evolving nature of information operations and the potential vulnerabilities that AI and LLMs introduce, particularly in linguistically diverse countries like Switzerland. 👉 LLMs can potentially generate content in various Swiss dialects, including rare ones like Rumantsch. 👉 Switzerland is relatively unprepared for AI-powered information operations, as its complex political system and linguistic diversity have previously made it resistant to such attacks. 👉 The speaker warns against allowing large-scale sampling of Swiss German dialects, as this could enable the fine-tuning of AI models to generate more convincing local content for disinformation campaigns. The recordings of the entire conference are accessible here: https://lnkd.in/dkFGyFhe #EPFL #C4DT

📣 New Publication Alert! 📣 📽️ The recordings of the October 1st Conference on #Disinformation, #Elections, and #AI are now accessible via the following link: https://lnkd.in/dkFGyFhe Here are some key takeaways from "Part 1: Artificial Influence? The Intersection of AI, Disinformation, and Politics": 💡 Sisi Wei (The Markup) on the future #impact of AI on elections: "2024 may be the last year of elections as we know them." AI's full potential and impact on elections have yet to be seen, and both positive and negative scenarios are possible. 💡Anushka Jain (Digital Futures Lab) emphasized that while AI was extensively used in the Indian elections, its impact was less disruptive than feared. She highlighted the need for better regulation and public awareness to address both deceptive and ethically ambiguous uses of AI in future elections. 💡Chine Labbe (NewsGuard) discussed challenges and solutions related to AI and disinformation: "Most high-quality news websites, because they don't want to see their content being swallowed for free, are blocking AI models from their content. This means that now, most AI models can only train on very poor, low-quality websites. Garbage in, garbage out." Proposed solutions include audits, red team exercises, and feeding AI chatbots with reliable training data. 💡Jan Zilinsky (Technical University of Munich) noted a paradox in public perception: while people fear AI's potential for creating misinformation (e.g., deepfakes), they simultaneously support using AI to combat false information online. This highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory attitudes towards AI in society. 💡 Hubert Brossard (Ipsos in Switzerland) observed that most people (66%) are confident in their ability to distinguish real from fake news. However, fewer (44%) believe the average person can make this distinction. 💡 Some of the points discussed during the panel, consisting of Lukas Mäder (NZZ), Jan Zilinsky (TUM), Albertina Piterbarg (UNESCO) and Nicolas Zahn (Swiss Digital Initiative), on "AI, Disinformation, and Political Implications: Reality versus Hype" included: 👉 Role of the Private Sector: Social media platforms play a crucial role in disinformation campaigns, both for gathering and spreading information. There are concerns about the unchecked power of platform owners, as well as transparency and global inequalities in content moderation. 👉 Regulatory Challenges: There's a need for balanced regulation that addresses disinformation without infringing on freedom of expression. The EU's Digital Services Act was highlighted as a promising step. 👉 Potential Solutions: - Improving media literacy and education - Enhancing transparency in algorithms and political advertising - Strengthening cooperation between platforms, governments, and security companies - Investing in trustworthy information sources For more key takeaways from part 1 of the conference, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dVzeY7d7 #EPFL #C4DT

🗓 C4DT's "Weekly Pick" series : 📝 Olivier Crochat's take on the article entitled "Meta’s going to put AI-generated images in your Facebook and Instagram feeds" from The Verge, 25 September 2024 : "Social #networks began by enabling us to connect online with our family and friends and with communities of interest. #Influencers then helped generate the growth that was “missing” on the personal side. #AI-generated content, which Mark Zuckerberg sees as the next “logical jump” in the #engagement race, seems very creepy to me if you consider the initial goal of such networks." ➡ Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eMvQXT96 Each week we feature a digital trust-related article chosen and commented on by one of our team members. For more articles, check out our newsletter called C4DT’s Weekly Pick. Subscribe here : https://lnkd.in/ebjCiikp #C4DT #EPFL #digital_trust

🆕 New Publication Alert! 🔍 How can societies effectively balance the need for #NationalSecurity and the prevention of criminal activities with the protection of individuals' rights to #Privacy and secure, confidential communication in the #DigitalAge? In our latest FOCUS edition, we dive into this pressing question, exploring the tension between securing digital communications with #EndToEndEncryption and government concerns over intercepting criminal activities, particularly online #CSAM distribution. Robin Wilton (Director for Internet Trust at the Internet Society) and Ana-Maria Cretu (Researcher at the Security and Privacy Engineering Lab at EPFL), share their insights with our author Hector Garcia-Morales. 🔑 Key Takeaways: ➡ Privacy vs. Security: The debate over how to combat CSAM underscores the tension between safeguarding privacy and addressing security risks. Weakening encryption with measures like Client-Side Scanning (CSS) risks mass #surveillance, potentially infringing on privacy and #democraticvalues. ➡Flaws in #CSS: CSS is not robust enough and poses privacy risks. It may easily be manipulated and inaccurately flag non-criminal content, thereby undermining the purpose of end-to-end encryption (#E2EE) without effectively combating online crimes such as CSAM. ➡ Need for Collaboration: The divide between #PolicyCreation and technical robustness calls for increased collaboration between researchers and policymakers. This partnership is crucial for creating solutions that safeguard privacy and address security concerns, despite challenges from differing #priorities and #expertise levels. 📥 Download the publication here: https://lnkd.in/evyp-iyM 👉 Check it out and join the conversation! Also, explore our other recent FOCUS publications: https://lnkd.in/eBS-_seG FOCUS 6: How does Big Tech keep us on the hook? FOCUS 5: How is China regulating big tech algorithms FOCUS 4: Happy fourth birthday, GDPR! FOCUS 3: Hacking times of crises FOCUS 2: Protecting journalists and their sources FOCUS 1: Focus on China tech regulation #C4DT #EPFL #digitaltrust #digital

🗓 C4DT's "Weekly Pick" series : 📝 Melanie Kolbe-Guyot, PhD's take on the article entitled "U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack" from The Wall Street Journal, 05 October 2024 : "This hack on U.S. wiretap systems illustrates the risks of creating backdoors meant only for "good guys." Similar concerns have been raised about the EU's chat control legislation. Whatever weaknesses are designed to allow for 'lawful interception' also opens opportunities for 'unlawful interception', it is as simple as that." ➡ Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eDdWvjwc Each week we feature a digital trust-related article chosen and commented on by one of our team members. For more articles, check out our newsletter called C4DT’s Weekly Pick. Subscribe here : https://lnkd.in/ebjCiikp #C4DT #EPFL #digital_trust

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 We are happy to welcome Paola Daniore as our 2024-2025 C4DT Policy Fellow! Paola brings an impressive academic background, having recently earned her PhD in Digital Health Epidemiology from the University of Zurich. She also holds degrees in Management, Technology and Economics from ETH Zurich, and Chemical Engineering from McGill University. As a Policy Fellow, Paola will focus on exploring how principles of transparency and explainability from the EU AI Act can be applied to effectively implement healthcare AI technologies in Switzerland. We are excited to see the impact of her work in shaping the future of healthcare AI! Join us in welcoming Paola to the team! 🌟 #Leadership #DigitalHealth #AI #Fellowship #Innovation #HealthcareTech

🌐 Testing TLS in local development Take a look at this article written by Ahmed Elghareeb from C4DT about the implementation of the cryptographic protocol that allows your internet connected devices to contact any website or any API or cloud service securely, aka the Transport Layer Security Protocol. ➡ Read more here : https://lnkd.in/emvb-Ykw