Background
Dr Mehwish Nasim and The University of Western Australia are partnering with Edith Cowan University and PHASE to combat the intentional spread of misinformation online.
Social media is a powerful enabler for the spread of information. Those with malicious agendas recognise this, and as the online dissemination of misinformation escalates, it becomes increasingly important for the Australian Government and Defence sector to expand their capabilities in social cybersecurity.
Approach
With the support of a Defence Science Centre (DSC) Collaborative Research Grant (CRG), Dr Nasim and her team are building a framework to model how user interactions and engagements on social media platforms can offer early indications of broader societal events. Additionally, they’re creating a flexible system that incorporates expert opinions and historical data to communicate these social media trends to analysts and end-users effectively.
Outcome
Utilising the systems being developed by the team, analysts could construct a social profile of malicious actors, particularly synthetic users, involved in contentious topics and disseminating misinformation. This functionality would offer end-users timely visibility into nefarious campaigns, empowering them to counteract the attempts before they gain significant traction.
Dr Nasim and the team are diversifying Australia’s information warfare capabilities by enhancing social cybersecurity and providing Australian Defence with preventative measures against crisis and instability.
The Collaborative Research Grant (CRG) is one of several grants operating through the Defence Science Centre.
Find more information on the CRG on the Defence Science Centre grants programs page.
