If Big Tech cared about fighting AI slop, we wouldn’t be drowning in it | The Verge
Summary
The Verge critiques Big Tech's inadequate efforts in combating AI-generated misinformation, highlighting the shortcomings of the C2PA system in ensuring content authenticity.
Why It Matters
As AI technology advances, the proliferation of deepfakes and misleading content poses significant risks to digital trust and content creation. Understanding the limitations of current solutions like C2PA is crucial for both consumers and creators in navigating this evolving landscape.
Key Takeaways
- C2PA aims to authenticate media but is not effectively combating AI-generated misinformation.
- Despite backing from major tech companies, the implementation of C2PA leaves users to manually verify content authenticity.
- The rise of AI in content creation threatens the integrity of social media and the livelihood of creators.
AIReportTechIf Big Tech cared about fighting AI slop, it wouldn’t be drowning us in itIt’s harder to clean up a mess you’re still actively making.by Jess WeatherbedFeb 23, 2026, 4:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftProgress towards reliable deepfake labelling tech is sluggish, despite all the “help” from AI providers. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesJess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.As 2025 drew to a close, Instagram head Adam Mosseri ended the year by doom-posting about AI. “Authenticity is becoming infinitely reproducible,” Mosseri lamented. “Everything that made creators matter — the ability to be real, to connect, to have a voice that couldn’t be faked — is now accessible to anyone with the right tools.” But people, Mosseri insisted, still wanted “content that feels real.” His proposed solution was finding a way to label real media. “Camera manufacturers will cryptographically sign images at capture, creating a chain of custody,” he said. The result would be a trustworthy system for determining what’s not AI.The good news is that Mosseri’s solution already exists: it’s called C2PA. The bad news is that Instagram is already using it, and it’s not doing shit to actually help. If anything, it’s starting to feel like a substitute for actual action, as Instagram goes full speed ahead on building generative AI tools.AI is getting extrem...