AI scams threaten Namibia – Theofelus

The minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) technology is driving a wave of scams and cyberattacks against Namibian citizens.

In a statement shared in parliament yesterday, she urged quick and cohesive action to adapt to the dangers of the new technology.

She argued that the increased integration of AI technology into everyday life has led to a sharp uptick in scams and deceptions such as deepfakes. “These cyber incidents pose a serious threat not only to individuals’ privacy and financial security, but also to our national trust and social cohesion.

“Content generated or manipulated using AI – which is known as synthetic media – has made it easier, faster and more cost-effective for scammers to produce highly convincing fake videos, images and messages. This presents a significant risk to public trust, especially when fake news is circulated under the guise of legitimate institutions or public figures,” Theofelus said.

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is pursuing a number of strategies to contend with the rapidly evolving technology, including considering a national system for authenticating information sources, developing a campaign to spread public awareness of the dangers of misinformation and promoting digital literacy. However, she warned that it is vital for the government to move quickly to keep pace with new technology.

She further urged citizens to be careful in this new digital environment.

“I, therefore, call on all Namibians to remain vigilant, to verify information before sharing it and to report any suspicious digital activity to the relevant authorities. The fight against scams and cyberattacks is not just a government responsibility. I will not be telling the truth if I was to claim that government can overcome this alone because we cannot. It is a national imperative that requires all our collective action,” the minister said.