New technologies for detecting media content manipulativeness

Together with the consulting-analytical unit of the Intelligence Center, the ISED Institute, the analytical system “Topic.sirius” was developed.

Link to the «Topic.sirius» demo: http://topic.sirius-iq.com/

For the first time, a product is entering the market that allows scientifically sound and automated determination of both the manipulative nature of content and many other parameters of psychological impact.

With the help of “Topic.sirius”, the processes of collecting, processing and analyzing data from open sources of information were automated, as well as the analysis of the information sources themselves, which positively affected the quantity and quality of processing the incoming information.

In the automatic mode, a table of media ratings (including foreign ones) is generated by the available indicators: average indicators for manipulativeness, PR-influence, emotionality, factoring, psychological characteristics of the media, etc. In addition, the coefficient of information value is determined automatically. This allows users to see not only who is bad, but who is good, but also why. The system also automatically determines psychological characteristics of collective authors of articles.

Automation reduces the influence of the human factor on the quality of the final analysis result.

Examples of screenshots of the system:

In the “Home” section displays a feed of all news received from open sources of information.

Topics are tinted in green, gray and red, depending on the degree of linguistic-statistical saturation of emotional and manipulative content.

Small saturation is green, medium is gray, high saturation is red. Such visualization serves as a hint to the analyst about the degree of “contamination” of information. For the analytical system, this is material for further analysis and determination of allies or opponents, their goals and objectives, etc.

The integral indicator “Temperament” allows you to automatically determine the psychological characteristics of the source and its characteristics of impact on society.

Lists of sources broadcasting “infected” information are displayed. Here you can also see which indices are involved in the formation of red zone information. This allows you to identify internal and external sources of information security threats.

An information source passport is formed. This allows you to identify the initiators of a targeted informational impact on the subject of the attack, his psychological state or image in the international arena, as well as the sources of information through which this effect is carried out.

By analyzing the sources and nature of the information they provide, it is possible to identify information expansion. To discover mechanisms for covert and open informational influence on the process of development and adoption of state decisions to the detriment of national security.

The system also allows you to analyze automatically and view the main indicators characterizing the features of the impact of information on users.

Section “Headings” allows you to control the geopolitical situation in various regions of the world, as well as determine the degree of its influence on the internal and external situation in the country.

In addition, using this section you can monitor the global political, economic, military, environmental and other processes, as well as monitor the actions of countries that disseminate information in order to obtain unilateral advantages.

Using the section “Opinions by Subjects”, it is possible to identify opinion leaders and opinion transmitters, as well as external opponents. Assess their quantity and quality. Define their goals, objectives and working methods.

The “Information on topics” section allows providing state structures and private business with objective (“cleaned up”) information about events within the country and abroad, as well as about situations in the markets of interest.

Image by ISED

Performed by  Stanislav Dubikovsky (PhD, Director ISED)