Deepfakes That Threaten Truth in the Digital Age

A Guide to Deepfakes That Threaten Truth in the Digital Age

Lurking beneath the veneer of connection via the internet is a growing threat: deepfakes. 

These videos and audio are created using AI and can alter someone’s appearance or voice to seem real. While initially appearing in the entertainment sector, deepfakes are now being used to spread misinformation and sow social unrest, particularly on social media platforms.

What Is the Rise of Deepfakes in Recent Times?

The technology behind deepfakes is remarkably sophisticated and constantly progressing. AI Advancements and machine learning make it easier than ever to manufacture realistic deepfakes. These forgeries can depict seemingly genuine scenarios, such as a politician delivering a fabricated speech or a celebrity engaging in scandalous behavior. 

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There’s been a massive surge in deepfakes. A global verification platform, Sumsub, found a staggering 10% increase in deepfakes detected in the first three months of 2023 compared to the entirety of 2022. Interestingly, a majority of these originated from the UK. This rise in deepfakes reflects a larger trend: over half (51.1%) of online misinformation involves manipulated visuals.  

How Does Deepfake Impact Society?

The potential consequences of deepfakes extend far beyond mere entertainment. They pose a serious threat to public trust in institutions and democratic processes. Imagine this scenario: right before a crucial election, a deepfake video surfaces online, showing a political leader making inflammatory statements. This scenario could sow widespread division, disrupt public discourse, and ultimately sway voters.

Deepfake videos can have a profoundly harmful impact on society, with deepfake porn being particularly damaging to women who become victims. This form of exploitation can cause extreme psychological distress, leading to physiological symptoms like heart palpitations and panic attacks. It is a form of sexual violation that can make victims feel violated and traumatized, resulting in symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. 

Depression can also arise, affecting the prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for seeing the bigger picture in life. In severe cases, victims might dissociate, experiencing temporary amnesia due to the overwhelming trauma.

Unfortunately, cases have emerged where minors discovered their images misused in sexual deepfake content, leading to long-lasting damage as the content often remains online for months.

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One notable case involved journalist Rana Ayyub, who became a deepfake porn victim after reporting on a sensitive issue in India. So intense was the harassment, that the United Nations had to intervene. Deepfake porn is a serious issue causing immense damage to victims and society, necessitating urgent action to curb this growing threat.

According to TorHoerman Law, criminal cases have proceeded against men who have used Instagram to sexually exploit young girls. Yet, as per Forbes, the platform faces challenges in keeping sexually explicit content off of its platform. 

This is because Instagram lets people post photos and videos freely without prior approval. Sexually explicit content can spread quickly before Instagram even knows it’s there.

Deepfakes on Social Media

As reported by the Guardian, a shocking investigation by Channel 4 News revealed the disturbing prevalence of deepfake pornography targeting celebrities. Their analysis of top deepfake websites identified nearly 4,000 victims, including over 250 prominent British figures from various fields like acting, music, and social media. These individuals, who remain unnamed, have had their faces superimposed on explicit content using AI technology.

The investigation further highlighted the vast reach of this disturbing content, with the analyzed sites garnering 100 million views in just three months. Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, unfortunately included among the victims, expressed the emotional impact of such deepfakes, describing it as a sinister act.

While the UK’s Online Safety Act has made it illegal to share non-consensual deepfake pornography, the creation of this content remains a legal loophole. This highlights the need for further legislative measures to address the production and distribution of these harmful deepfakes.

Social media makes the situation even more dangerous because sharing deepfakes becomes so easy. These platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, tend to filter information based on users’ preferences, which can make it even harder to tell what’s real. This vulnerability makes them susceptible to the spread of deepfakes, which can masquerade as legitimate content and rapidly reach a vast audience. 

The Guardian emphasizes this point, highlighting how deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation across the political spectrum, inciting hate speech and undermining public safety.

In fact, the potential harm of deepfakes has even reached the legal system. In a recent Illinois lawsuit, Instagram was embroiled in a controversy regarding facial recognition technology. The Instagram lawsuit targets Meta’s facial recognition software. It alleges that Meta used facial data to suggest tags and personalize content, based on photos and videos found on Facebook. 

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The lawsuit against Instagram further alleges that Meta collected users’ biometric data without their knowledge or permission. While not directly related to deepfakes, the case highlights the broader concerns about the misuse of user data and the potential for manipulated visuals to be weaponized online.

How Do I Combat This Deepfake Threat in 2024?

Researchers are developing sophisticated tools that analyze video and audio characteristics to identify deepfakes. However, as The Atlantic points out, keeping pace with the evolving deepfake technology remains a critical challenge.

Social media platforms need to implement stricter content moderation policies that flag and remove deepfakes. As Harvard Kennedy School’s Misinformation Review argues, social media companies should invest in user education programs to foster critical media literacy. These programs would equip users with the skills to assess the authenticity of online content and avoid falling prey to deepfakes.

The fight against deepfakes goes beyond technology and social media. As the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace highlights, deepfakes are being weaponized in geopolitical conflicts to sow discord and undermine international relations. Addressing this challenge demands international cooperation and the development of robust legal frameworks to hold those who use deepfakes for malicious purposes accountable.

The Future of Truth: Understanding the Deepfake Landscape

Deepfakes expose the weak spots in our digital world, but we can fix them. By working together, tech companies, lawmakers, and regular people can build a stronger system for sharing information that’s harder to fool. 

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Equipping ourselves with media literacy, promoting responsible online behavior, and investing in sophisticated detection technology are all crucial steps in navigating this new frontier. Ultimately, our ability to discern truth from fiction will determine whether deepfakes become a tool for chaos or a challenge we can overcome.

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