D4. Detection of digital deception
42. How Online Misinformation Exploits Elderly Victims in San Francisco
42. How Online Misinformation Exploits Elderly Victims in San Francisco In San Francisco, 75-year-old Linda receives an email appearing to be from her bank, asking her to update her account details. Unaware of phishing tactics, she complies, leading to significant financial loss. Individual outcomes Linda faces financial hardship and loss of trust in digital transactions.…
Read More29. How a Bogus Treatment Spreads in Healthville
29. How a Bogus Treatment Spreads in Healthville In 2024, residents of the city of Healthville are misled by online medical advice from unverified sources. A blog post by a self-proclaimed health expert, Dr. Linda Smith, claiming a new “miracle cure” for cancer, goes viral. This leads to patients like John Miller disregarding professional medical…
Read More26. How Disinformation Plagues Cryptocurrency Investments in Finport
26. How Disinformation Plagues Cryptocurrency Investments in Finport In 2026, the city of Finport becomes the center of a financial scam due to disinformation about a cryptocurrency investment scheme. Promoted by a self-proclaimed finance guru through various online platforms and word-of-mouth, many citizens, including 35 year old Linda Johnson, fall victim to the scam. Individual…
Read More24. How a Single Post Ignites a Public Health Crisis in San Lorenzo
24. How a Single Post Ignites a Public Health Crisis in San Lorenzo In 2025, a fictional city, San Lorenzo, faces a public health crisis when false claims about the dangers of a new vaccine circulate on social media. Influenced by a viral post from a self-proclaimed health expert, Dr. Alex Freeman, many citizens, including…
Read More19. How Elderly Victims Were Tricked by a Sophisticated Phishing Scam in Silicon City
19. How Elderly Victims Were Tricked by a Sophisticated Phishing Scam in Silicon City In Silicon City, a technologically advanced urban center, residents, including elderly couple John and Linda, become victims of a sophisticated phishing scam. Fraudsters, posing as bank officials, use realistic emails to trick victims into revealing their banking details. Individual outcomes John…
Read More17. How a Pseudo-Expert’s Blog Endangered Residents of Healthville, USA
17. How a Pseudo-Expert’s Blog Endangered Residents of Healthville, USA In the city of Healthville, USA, a community health crisis emerges as residents, including middle-aged Susan, turn to online forums for medical advice. Influenced by a popular health blogger, Dr. Green (not a real doctor), people begin to follow unproven dietary regimens, leading to nutritional…
Read More12. How a Baseless Claim Spreads in Rivertown, USA
12. How a Baseless Claim Spreads in Rivertown, USA In the city of Rivertown, USA, a health scare arises when a popular local blogger, Jenna Matthews, promotes a baseless diet trend claiming to cure chronic diseases. Despite lacking scientific backing, the trend quickly gains traction, leading many, including young professional Sarah, to abandon conventional medical…
Read More09. How a Health Crisis Unfolded in Harmony, USA
09. How a Health Crisis Unfolded in Harmony, USA In the United States, a small town named Harmony becomes the epicenter of a health crisis when false information about a new disease spreads rapidly on social media. Local resident, Emily Johnson, a mother of two, shares a viral post claiming the disease is a government…
Read More06. The 2025 Veritas Campaign
06. The 2025 Veritas Campaign In 2025, the European nation of Belleros experiences widespread civil unrest following a disinformation campaign about government corruption and societal inequality. The campaign, spearheaded by a shadowy group known as “Veritas,” uses sophisticated AI tools to create fake videos of government officials engaging in corrupt acts. These videos go viral…
Read More02. The Role of Social Media Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic
02: The Role of Social Media Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, some communities in Texas, USA, faced vaccine hesitancy issues due to misleading information about vaccine safety and efficacy spread through social media. Due to miscommunication and conflicting messages issued by different branches of government and public officials creating…
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