KUALA LUMPUR: A flood of comments on social media does not necessarily mean they reflect the views of the majority, especially with artificial intelligence (AI) being used to create fake accounts and generate content, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Umno information chief said AI-powered bots could be used to produce large numbers of comments supporting one side or attacking another.
“When the same thing is repeated by dozens or hundreds of accounts, people may get the impression that it is the majority view.
“Many comments do not necessarily mean many Malaysians hold that view,” she said in a statement on Saturday (Sept 12).
Azalina said comments that were the loudest, most numerous or most frequently repeated were also not necessarily true.
She said Malaysians often read the comments section after viewing a news report to see what others thought about an issue.
“Not every account that appears to be a real person necessarily represents a real person, and not every conversation on social media takes place organically,” she said.
Azalina was commenting on reports of the use of AI to influence political discussions in Malaysia.
The reports, based on findings disclosed by AI company Anthropic and reported by Channel News Asia, involved about 1,000 fake X accounts, fabricated news websites and content containing false allegations.
She said there was no evidence so far that the operation had succeeded in changing election results or voters’ positions.
However, the matter should still be taken seriously, particularly over who was behind the operation, who funded it and whose interests it served, she added.
Azalina also urged Malaysians to be more cautious about information shared on social media, saying genuine news could be mixed with half-truths, misleading headlines or facts taken out of context.
She said Umno was also not exempt from perception attacks, with the party often portrayed as evil, corrupt or untrustworthy through allegations repeatedly circulated in comment sections.
However, Azalina stressed that Umno was not claiming all criticism against the party came from bots or was false.
“People have the right to criticise Umno, the Government or any leader. Criticism based on facts must be respected,” she said.
Azalina also called for investigations and enforcement to be carried out fairly regardless of the political party or side involved.
“If supporters of the ruling party break the law, take action. If supporters of the Opposition break the law, take action.
“The law cannot have one measure for friends and another for opponents,” she said.
She urged the public to check sources and facts, distinguish news from opinion and not allow the number of likes, shares or comments to determine what they believe.
“Technology can produce a thousand accounts and a thousand comments. But technology cannot determine the truth or what the people actually feel on the ground,” she said.
