The UK government plans to establish a National Centre for Information Defence to counter disinformation and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia, Andy Burnham has announced, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Security chiefs will set up a new National Centre for Information Defence, according to the Guardian.
- The centre will 'detect, attribute and disrupt' information attacks by foreign powers.
- Many such attacks are enabled by AI, according to the Guardian.
- The body will bring together intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies.
- Burnham said the government had a duty to 'stem the poisonous tide' of disinformation from damaging British interests.
The UK is to establish a new national centre aimed at tackling disinformation and deepfakes originating from hostile states such as Russia, Andy Burnham has announced. According to the Guardian, security chiefs will set up the body, with Burnham saying the government had a duty to ‘stem the poisonous tide’ of information attacks damaging British interests.
The new organisation, called the National Centre for Information Defence, will be tasked with efforts to ‘detect, attribute and disrupt’ information attacks carried out by foreign powers. The Guardian reports that many of these attacks are enabled by artificial intelligence.
A central feature of the centre will be its coordinating role. It is intended to bring together the intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies, pooling their capabilities to respond to what the Guardian describes as information warfare.
Burnham framed the initiative in stark terms, saying the government had a responsibility to act against disinformation that could harm British interests. The prime minister’s stated aim, according to the Guardian, is to ‘stem the poisonous tide’ of disinformation and deepfakes.
Russia was named among the hostile states whose information activity the centre is designed to counter. The announcement reflects growing concern in Western governments about state-backed information operations amplified by advances in AI-generated content, including deepfakes.
The Guardian’s reporting notes the plans were set out in the context of remarks delivered to the UN, signalling that the UK intends to position the effort as part of a broader international conversation about disinformation and its risks.
Why it matters
Disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes have become a growing concern for democratic governments worried about foreign interference and public trust. A dedicated national centre signals the UK intends to treat information attacks as a coordinated security threat rather than a piecemeal problem.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Centre for Information Defence?
According to the Guardian, it is a new UK national centre that will 'detect, attribute and disrupt' information attacks by foreign powers, bringing together intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies.
Which countries is the centre aimed at?
The Guardian reports the centre is intended to tackle disinformation and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia.
Why is AI mentioned in relation to the new centre?
The Guardian notes that many of the information attacks the centre is designed to counter are enabled by artificial intelligence, including deepfakes.