MOSCOW, September 11. /TASS/. Amid Russia's fuel crisis, fake gas station maps have appeared online to farm data from Russian citizens, Vladimir Tabak, president of the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN), told TASS ahead of the Dialogue about Fakes 4.0 forum.
"There are currently some fuel supply difficulties in our regions. Numerous phishing websites are offering counterfeit fuel vouchers, and unverified sites with completely bogus gas station maps are operating solely to collect users’ data," he said.
Tabak described this as "a striking example of how a situation arising offline can prompt the creation of projects that subsequently pose a fairly serious threat to citizens and the state, as systematic efforts begin to target the country as a whole."
"I think no sphere is immune to this problem today. But the most vulnerable areas are those involving security, political processes and social issues," he stressed.
The Global Fact-Checking Network brings together experts and fact-checking organizations worldwide. The association was founded by the TASS news agency, the nonprofit organization Dialogue Regions and the New Media Workshop to combat disinformation. More than 125 journalists from 55 countries already collaborate with GFCN on fact-checking.
The international Dialogue about Fakes 4.0 forum will take place on September 22 at the Russia National Center in Moscow. TASS is the event’s strategic partner.
