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WSJ Tech News Briefing · Saturday, August 15, 2026

Social media a poor source for news, says expert

Digital forensics expert Hani Farid advises people to stop getting their news and information from social media, as it's not designed for reliable news consumption. He suggests relying on trusted sources and professionals for accurate information, rather than platforms intended for entertainment or social connection.

personHani Farid

The tape

3 quotes
For Farid, there's a very simple solution to all of this. Stop getting your news and information from social media.
Nicole Nuen
But don't, for the love of God, use these mediums as a place to get news and information about what's happening in Iran or Gaza or anywhere. It's not what it was designed for and it's not what it's good for.
Hani Farid
If you want reliable information, go to the people who do this for a living. We have to go back to trusted sources.
Hani Farid
Heard on WSJ Tech News Briefing — “To Spot AI Fakes, Think Like a Digital Forensics Expert, published Saturday, August 15, 2026. Heardvine summarizes and quotes with attribution and timestamps, and links to the original everywhere.
Transcribed via Gemini audio transcription · $0.04