OpenAI Disrupts Russia-Linked ChatGPT Misuse—Accounts Banned, Content Farms Hits Pause

OpenAI stated that it disrupted a network of accounts linked to the Russian project “Rybar”  that used its models to generate content for coordinated disinformation activity.

The details were disclosed in the “Disrupting malicious uses of our models” company report on February 26.

In a case study called “Fish Food,” OpenAI said it banned a set of ChatGPT accounts tied to the “Rybar” network, with at least some of the activity likely originating in Russia.

OpenAI said the users produced social media posts in multiple languages, including Russian, English, and Spanish, and that some of the material was published by “Rybar”-branded accounts.

The company described the activity as resembling a content farm designed for broad distribution, including one instance in which a single prompt produced seven draft posts, and six were subsequently published by different X accounts.

Influence-for-hire pitch and Africa-focused interference planning

Alongside content generation, OpenAI said the operation’s main account used ChatGPT for planning and services pitches, including:

• Translating into English a list of services “Rybar” could offer unnamed clients, including running X and Telegram accounts, operating a bilingual “investigative journalism” website focused on Africa;

• Arranging paid publications in French-language media and building a network of amplifiers;

• Editing a proposal for an apparent deployed election-interference team in Africa, combining online activity with on-the-ground work such as building a network of local agents and organizing large-scale events;

• Discussing an information campaign focused on the Democratic Republic of Congo;

• Asking about electoral processes in Burundi and Cameroon;

• Sketching options for a campaign in Madagascar, including the idea of inflaming protests on the ground; OpenAI said the most ambitious concept included an estimated annual budget of up to $600,000.

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Category

Anti-Fake

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OpenAI said it shut down the ChatGPT accounts it tied to the “Rybar” network, cutting off the group’s access to its models.

It also added that it shared indicators about the activity with other companies and relevant stakeholders to help limit further distribution of the network’s content online.

Earlier, it was reported that a deepfake impersonation during a video call was used to deceive senior figures, highlighting synthetic-media tactics used in influence and social-engineering campaigns.

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