New UK agency will tackle 'information warfare' from likes of Russia, Burnham says

New UK agency will tackle'information warfare' from likes of Russia, Burnham says PM aims to'stem poisonous tide' of disinformation and deepfakes with National Centre for Information Defence Security chiefs will set up a new national centre to tackle disinformation and deepfakes from hostile states such as Russia, Andy Burnham has announced, saying the government had a duty to "stem the poisonous tide" from damaging British interests. The National Centre for Information Defence will "detect, attribute and disrupt" information attacks by foreign powers, many of which are enabled by AI, bringing together the intelligence agencies, law enforcement and social media companies. It will be tasked with making sure the UK has the defensive capability necessary to combat information warfare and build national resilience by helping communities to identify and combat disinformation, preventing a "distorted and untrue" narrative about the UK. Burnham said the country would have to go into the next decade "eyes wide open" about "insidious" campaigns, many of which had been orchestrated by Russia, which "twisted" what people at home felt about their own country and community. In eye-catching remarks, the prime minister suggested that Britons who were struggling with the cost of living and young people not in education, training or employment may be particularly susceptible to foreign influence online, underlining how inequality further undermined society.