Growing up in the port town of Larne, I learned early on that community unrest doesn’t just spontaneously combust. Having represented Ballymena and lived in the heart of north Belfast, I’ve spent my life among people who carry the weight of economic anxiety and a deep-seated feeling of being ignored by decision-makers far removed from our reality. For years, there has been a narrative suggesting that these communities are naturally prone to terrorizing their neighbors, but I know the truth: these explosions of violence are not organic. They are manufactured by outside actors who have never stepped foot on our…

In our increasingly digital world, the line between reality and fabrication is becoming alarmingly blurred. A recent investigation by AAP FactCheck has exposed a sophisticated disinformation campaign originating from Vietnam, targeting New Zealand’s political landscape. A Facebook page operating under the guise of a legitimate news outlet, calling itself “Northern Ocean,” has been actively pumping out a constant stream of fabricated stories and AI-generated imagery. While the page presents itself as a source for “real-time breaking news,” these posts are nothing more than clickbait traps designed to lure unsuspecting readers onto external websites crowded with advertisements and further misinformation. These…