DoubleVerify: UK consumers wary of AI content
DoubleVerify has published research examining how UK consumers perceive AI-generated content, finding that while awareness of its risks is high, confidence in identifying it remains significantly lower.
The study also coincides with the company's identification of a network of AI-generated sports websites targeting UK football fans.
Conducted with YouGov, the research surveyed 2,000 UK consumers. According to the findings, 92 percent of respondents said the rise of AI-generated content is making it harder to trust information online, while 81 percent said they are concerned about encountering misleading AI-generated content designed to appear genuine.
Detection confidence trails concern
Despite widespread concern, only 41 percent of respondents said they feel confident in their ability to identify AI-generated content. DoubleVerify said the results indicate a 40 percentage point gap between concern and consumers' confidence in detecting synthetic content.
Stuart Flint, Managing Director, EMEA, DoubleVerify: "As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, the challenge now shifts to identifying it. Consumers are increasingly sceptical, but they don’t feel equipped to distinguish between authentic and synthetic content. That creates a meaningful vulnerability across the open web and social platforms."
AI-generated sports network identified
Alongside the research, DoubleVerify released a threat alert describing a network of more than 40 UK-based sports websites that the company says use AI to generate content aimed at football fans.
According to DoubleVerify, the sites publish AI-generated sports articles, including fabricated quotes attributed to professional athletes, and distribute them through online fan communities across major social platforms.
'FanFarming' tactic targets trusted communities
DoubleVerify refers to the distribution method as FanFarming, describing it as a tactic in which AI-generated content is shared within established fan communities to increase engagement and generate advertising revenue.
Based on the company's estimates, including distribution through fan pages, the network has already reached hundreds of thousands of UK sports fans.
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