MANIPULATING PERCEPTION: THE ROLE OF DEEPFAKES IN COGNITIVE WARFARE AND FACT-CHECKING
MANIPULATING PERCEPTION: THE ROLE OF DEEPFAKES IN COGNITIVE WARFARE AND FACT-CHECKING

Author(s): Cláudio SOUSA, Rafael FREITAS, Carlos BERNARDINO
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Communication studies, Security and defense, Peace and Conflict Studies, Fake News - Disinformation, Hybrid Warfare
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: deepfake; fact-checking; cognitive warfare; information warfare; bibliometric analysis;
Summary/Abstract: Deepfakes have emerged as a powerful weapon in cognitive warfare, posing a significant socio-technical challenge that requires robust fact-checking methodologies alongside advanced technical detection systems and governance frameworks. This study examines the evolving intersection of deepfake technologies and fact-checking approaches within the context of information warfare, employing a bibliometric analysis of 44 publications from the Elsevier Scopus database. Our findings reveal substantial growth in research after 2023 and identifies two primary patterns of collaboration (regional partnerships among European nations and global networks led by English-speaking countries). The keyword analysis demonstrates how social media governance has emerged as a key area of research, reflecting the dual role of platforms in both the proliferation and mitigation of deepfake threats. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape, identifies emerging trends in deepfake countermeasures, and sets for the development of enhanced digital verification systems to combat threats in modern information warfare.

• Details
• Contents