{"id":2164298,"date":"2026-09-23T09:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T06:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2164298"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T06:21:16","slug":"ai-chatbots-serve-up-content-from-russias-sanctioned-state-run-outlets-rsf-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2164298","title":{"rendered":"AI chatbots serve up content from Russia&#8217;s sanctioned state-run outlets, RSF finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/66\/1200x675_cmsv2_bf7ed425-c9f8-59d9-ab28-8b08f291dcd6-9924366.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2928753-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2928753\" data-cid=\"9928458\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928753-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/84\/31\/189x106_cmsv2_6e8b1409-3a33-5e6b-af4d-4ab260474500-9928431.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - In this 11 October 2017 file photo, a southern right whale moves through the waters off El Doradillo beach in Argentine Patagonia.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Water<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What is killing whale calves in Patagonia? bacteria under suspicion\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928732-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2928732\" data-cid=\"9928349\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928732-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/83\/23\/189x106_cmsv2_3efe2ae0-75f6-5907-8220-c1b8f37ef30f-9928323.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: An oil tanker approaches Matanzas, Cuba, Tuesday 31 March 2026. (AP Photo\/Ram\u00f3n Espinosa)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    USA<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The US lays groundwork for possible military action in Cuba, according to &#8216;CBS News&#8217;\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928572-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928572\" data-cid=\"9927633\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928572-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/76\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_9ec797c7-a817-5b64-afb2-25fe70433402-9927633.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV followed by Director-General Khaled El-Enany, leaves UNESCO headquarters, Paris, 25 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pope: AI must serve humans, not become a tool of domination\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928660-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928660\" data-cid=\"9928029\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928660-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/80\/29\/189x106_cmsv2_41cbb54c-df20-5286-8ee0-12a4740259e0-9928029.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Protesters gather in support of Ceuta to mark the city&apos;s anniversary in Madrid, Spain\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protests erupt in Granada after eviction of 87-year-old woman in Madrid\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928753-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2928753\" data-cid=\"9928458\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928753-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/84\/31\/189x106_cmsv2_6e8b1409-3a33-5e6b-af4d-4ab260474500-9928431.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - In this 11 October 2017 file photo, a southern right whale moves through the waters off El Doradillo beach in Argentine Patagonia.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Water<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What is killing whale calves in Patagonia? bacteria under suspicion\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928732-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2928732\" data-cid=\"9928349\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928732-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/83\/23\/189x106_cmsv2_3efe2ae0-75f6-5907-8220-c1b8f37ef30f-9928323.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: An oil tanker approaches Matanzas, Cuba, Tuesday 31 March 2026. (AP Photo\/Ram\u00f3n Espinosa)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    USA<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The US lays groundwork for possible military action in Cuba, according to &#8216;CBS News&#8217;\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928572-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928572\" data-cid=\"9927633\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928572-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/76\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_9ec797c7-a817-5b64-afb2-25fe70433402-9927633.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV followed by Director-General Khaled El-Enany, leaves UNESCO headquarters, Paris, 25 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pope: AI must serve humans, not become a tool of domination\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928660-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2928660\" data-cid=\"9928029\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928660-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/80\/29\/189x106_cmsv2_41cbb54c-df20-5286-8ee0-12a4740259e0-9928029.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Protesters gather in support of Ceuta to mark the city&apos;s anniversary in Madrid, Spain\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protests erupt in Granada after eviction of 87-year-old woman in Madrid\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          Russia<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            AI chatbots serve up content from Russia&#8217;s sanctioned state-run outlets, RSF finds<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/66\/1536x864_cmsv2_bf7ed425-c9f8-59d9-ab28-8b08f291dcd6-9924366.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE: People walk past a screen with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin at an exhibition at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, 4 June 2026\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE: People walk past a screen with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin at an exhibition at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, 4 June 2026<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspIoulia Poukhli\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1790155276\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-23 11:21:16 +02:00\">23\/09\/2026 &#8211; 11:21 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span 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height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Reporters Without Borders tested six AI chatbots by requesting news from RT, Sputnik, and other EU-sanctioned Russian outlets, and found that three produced full summaries with links and quotes, sometimes after encountering web pages explicitly stating the outlets were under sanctions.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>ChatGPT, Grok and Claude provided full news summaries drawing on EU-sanctioned Russian state media outlets \u2014 including RT and Sputnik \u2014 sharing links and quotes without warning users that the content came from banned sources, according to a study by Reporters Without Borders published this month.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The investigation, led by RSF technology desk head Vincent Berthier, tested six AI chatbots by explicitly requesting news from a list of sanctioned Russian outlets: RIA Novosti, Russia Today and its foreign-language editions, Rossiya RTR, Rossiya 24, Sputnik and the Strategic Culture Foundation. <\/p>\n<p>Where direct access was blocked, the researchers instructed the tools to look for workarounds, including Telegram channels and mirror sites.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Initially I thought we would not get a positive result,&#8221; Berthier told Euronews. &#8220;In the case of ChatGPT, it seemed obvious that OpenAI would have put appropriate regulatory safeguards in place, all the more so since it has been designated a major AI platform under the EU&#8217;s Digital Services Act and faces heightened obligations.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The results were the opposite. ChatGPT, Claude and Grok produced full international news round-ups from the banned outlets, recreating headlines, sharing links and quotes. <\/p>\n<p>Some of the chatbots encountered web pages that explicitly stated the outlets were under EU sanctions \u2014 and continued searching anyway. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sometimes this doesn&#8217;t even appear in the final answer, and sometimes they warn: &#8216;Be careful, this outlet is under sanctions,'&#8221; Berthier said.<\/p>\n<p>Vibe, formerly known as Le Chat and developed by French company Mistral, could not access several of the listed sites directly but followed the researchers&#8217; instructions and found alternatives. <\/p>\n<p>For Sputnik it recovered material from VKontakte, where content is available without a VPN. It also found a Telegram-connected app resharing RT content and platforms offering automated press reviews.<\/p>\n<p>Gemini was more cautious, providing access to banned content in two of the 10 prompts sent by RSF and consistently refusing in the others. <\/p>\n<p>Meta AI was the most compliant: it declined to provide access to any of the listed outlets across all tests, explaining in each case that European sanctions made it impossible.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Overall, only in a handful of cases did I get the impression that these tools were hitting resistance,&#8221; Berthier said.<\/p>\n<h2>Ethics not a barrier<\/h2>\n<p>The EU banned RT and Sputnik on 2 March 2022, four days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the stated aim of preventing Russian propaganda from justifying the war. <\/p>\n<p>In practice, the ban has been applied inconsistently: Germany blocked rt.com but not its German-language version, while Austria imposed no restrictions at all. <\/p>\n<p>Without an official list of domains to block, each operator determined its own targets.<\/p>\n<p>The Court of Justice of the European Union clarified on 2 July that the ban applies not only to direct broadcasting by RT but also to third-party sites that republish sanctioned material. <\/p>\n<p>Berthier said many Europeans were still unaware that Russian state media were under EU sanctions at all, let alone of their scope.<\/p>\n<p>RSF&#8217;s lawyers have filed a complaint with national competent authorities asking them to formally record the violations and determine next steps. Berthier said RSF had also forwarded its findings to the European Commission.<\/p>\n<p>The European Commission told Euronews on Sunday that EU sanctions law prohibits not only direct broadcasting by banned outlets but also situations where operators &#8220;ensure, facilitate or otherwise contribute to broadcasting.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>It said enforcement responsibility rested with member states and directed queries to national authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Commission spokesperson Tom Renier said earlier this month that it was &#8220;high time providers got their house in order and brought their advanced models under control.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The AI Act is fully applicable. The Commission has real enforcement powers. We have already started to use them, sending requests for information to several companies to make sure they are meeting their obligations,&#8221; Renier added.<\/p>\n<p>Berthier said the AI Act&#8217;s existing framework was inadequate for the problem RSF had identified. <\/p>\n<p>The regulation&#8217;s &#8220;high-risk&#8221; category which triggers stricter scrutiny covers systems related to education, justice and policing, but not systems that distribute and structure information. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Society currently has no lever to question the quality of the data these AI systems will use, or the types of data to which they will gain access,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\" id=\"abe-article-related-1\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">AI chatbots citing Russian propaganda sourced from EU-sanctioned outlet<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Eight in 10 popular AI chatbots would help teenagers plan violent attacks, report finds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>RSF has called for conversational AI agents to be regulated as information distribution tools rather than as neutral utilities.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If regulators fail to recognise that chatbots are not just tools, but new media formats, and ones that could become central tomorrow or the day after, then the question of applying sanctions will remain purely formal,&#8221; Berthier said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Russia quietly modernises bomb shelters in Moscow and St Petersburg<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Putin&#8217;s party wins record Duma majority in Kremlin-controlled elections as EU vows sanctions<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Putin&#8217;s United Russia party wins record 355 parliament seats, election chief says<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  ban<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  ChatGPT<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Union<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Russia Today<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Propaganda<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2928635-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928635\" data-cid=\"9927930\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928635-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/79\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_9954e58b-64e1-5ae2-8c56-115d3e2bb049-9927930.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The \u20ac6.6 billion have been stalled since 2023.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU countries agree to release long-stalled \u20ac6.6bn in Ukraine aid<br \/>\n  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the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928624\" data-cid=\"9928173\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928624-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/78\/70\/320x180_cmsv2_1214c2a9-cb52-59ad-a9af-9afe3060e9a9-9927870.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron attend the reading of a joint statement at the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace on Friday, 25 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Macron, Pope Leo XIV offer clashing views in first meeting in France<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928370-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928370\" data-cid=\"9926546\" 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threat to southern Europe<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928082-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928082\" data-cid=\"9925159\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Bardem calls for singer P!nk to be removed as Unicef ambassador over Palestine stance<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928580-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928580\" data-cid=\"9927683\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Over 2.8 million Audi and Volkswagen vehicles face recall worldwide<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">ChatGPT, Grok and Claude provided full news summaries drawing on EU-sanctioned Russian state media outlets \u2014 including RT and Sputnik \u2014 sharing links and quotes without warning users that the content came from banned sources, according to a study by Reporters Without Borders published this month.The investigation, led by RSF technology desk head Vincent Berthier, tested six AI chatbots by explicitly requesting news from a list of sanctioned Russian outlets: RIA Novosti, Russia Today and its foreign-language editions, Rossiya RTR, Rossiya 24, Sputnik and the Strategic Culture Foundation.Where direct access was blocked, the researchers instructed the tools to look for workarounds, including Telegram channels and mirror sites.&#8221;Initially I thought we would not get a positive result,&#8221; Berthier told Euronews. &#8220;In the case of ChatGPT, it seemed obvious that OpenAI would have put appropriate regulatory safeguards in place, all the more so since it has been designated a major AI platform under the EU&#8217;s Digital Services Act and faces heightened obligations.&#8221;The results were the opposite. ChatGPT, Claude and Grok produced full international news round-ups from the banned outlets, recreating headlines, sharing links and quotes.Some of the chatbots encountered web pages that explicitly stated the outlets were under EU sanctions \u2014 and continued searching anyway.&#8221;Sometimes this doesn&#8217;t even appear in the final answer, and sometimes they warn: &#8216;Be careful, this outlet is under sanctions,'&#8221; Berthier said.Vibe, formerly known as Le Chat and developed by French company Mistral, could not access several of the listed sites directly but followed the researchers&#8217; instructions and found alternatives.For Sputnik it recovered material from VKontakte, where content is available without a VPN. It also found a Telegram-connected app resharing RT content and platforms offering automated press reviews.Gemini was more cautious, providing access to banned content in two of the 10 prompts sent by RSF and consistently refusing in the others.Meta AI was the most compliant: it declined to provide access to any of the listed outlets across all tests, explaining in each case that European sanctions made it impossible.&#8221;Overall, only in a handful of cases did I get the impression that these tools were hitting resistance,&#8221; Berthier said.Ethics not a barrierThe EU banned RT and Sputnik on 2 March 2022, four days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the stated aim of preventing Russian propaganda from justifying the war.In practice, the ban has been applied inconsistently: Germany blocked rt.com but not its German-language version, while Austria imposed no restrictions at all.Without an official list of domains to block, each operator determined its own targets.The Court of Justice of the European Union clarified on 2 July that the ban applies not only to direct broadcasting by RT but also to third-party sites that republish sanctioned material.Berthier said many Europeans were still unaware that Russian state media were under EU sanctions at all, let alone of their scope.RSF&#8217;s lawyers have filed a complaint with national competent authorities asking them to formally record the violations and determine next steps. Berthier said RSF had also forwarded its findings to the European Commission.The European Commission told Euronews on Sunday that EU sanctions law prohibits not only direct broadcasting by banned outlets but also situations where operators &#8220;ensure, facilitate or otherwise contribute to broadcasting.&#8221;It said enforcement responsibility rested with member states and directed queries to national authorities.Commission spokesperson Tom Renier said earlier this month that it was &#8220;high time providers got their house in order and brought their advanced models under control.&#8221;&#8221;The AI Act is fully applicable. The Commission has real enforcement powers. We have already started to use them, sending requests for information to several companies to make sure they are meeting their obligations,&#8221; Renier added.Berthier said the AI Act&#8217;s existing framework was inadequate for the problem RSF had identified.The regulation&#8217;s &#8220;high-risk&#8221; category which triggers stricter scrutiny covers systems related to education, justice and policing, but not systems that distribute and structure information.&#8221;Society currently has no lever to question the quality of the data these AI systems will use, or the types of data to which they will gain access,&#8221; he said.RSF has called for conversational AI agents to be regulated as information distribution tools rather than as neutral utilities.&#8221;If regulators fail to recognise that chatbots are not just tools, but new media formats, and ones that could become central tomorrow or the day after, then the question of applying sanctions will remain purely formal,&#8221; Berthier said.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/23\/ai-chatbots-serve-up-content-from-russias-sanctioned-state-run-outlets-rsf-finds&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/43\/66\/1200x675_cmsv2_bf7ed425-c9f8-59d9-ab28-8b08f291dcd6-9924366.jpg&#8221;] Water What is killing whale calves in Patagonia? bacteria under suspicion USA The US lays groundwork for possible military action in Cuba, according to &#8216;CBS News&#8217; Europe News Pope: AI must serve humans, not become a tool of domination Europe News Protests erupt in Granada after eviction of 87-year-old woman in Madrid [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2164298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2164298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2164298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2164298\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2164298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2164298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2164298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}