Have you ever seen a video of a celebrity saying or doing something that seemed out of character? Or a politician making a controversial statement that turned out to be false? Or a friend or family member appearing in a compromising situation that they never experienced? If so, you may have encountered a deep fake.
What is a deep fake?
A deepfake is an image, video or audio recording that has been edited using an algorithm to replace the person in the original with someone else (especially a public figure) in a way that makes it look authentic. The term deepfake is probably derived from deep learning, which is a type of machine learning that uses artificial neural networks with multiple layers of algorithms.
Deepfakes are created by using two sets of algorithms: one that generates the fake media, and another that tries to detect if the media is real or not. The algorithms learn from each other and improve over time, making the deep fakes more realistic and harder to spot.
Deepfakes can be used for various purposes, such as entertainment, satire, education, art or research. However, they can also be used for malicious purposes, such as spreading false information, defaming someone's reputation, blackmailing, impersonating someone or manipulating public opinion.
How can we spot a deep fake?
As deep fakes become more sophisticated, it can be challenging to tell them apart from real media. However, there are some clues that can help us identify a deep fake, such as:
- Inconsistencies in the lighting, shadows, reflections, skin tones or eye movements of the person in the deep fake.
- Artifacts, such as blurriness, pixelation, distortion or glitches in the deepfake⁴.
- Mismatch, between the audio and the video, or between the facial expressions and the emotions of the person in the deep fake.
- Lack of context, such as the source, date, location or background of the deep fake.
- Contradictions, between the deepfake and other reliable sources of information⁴.
How can we avoid being affected by a deep fake?
Deepfakes can have serious consequences for individuals and society, such as violating privacy, eroding trust, undermining democracy or inciting violence. Therefore, it is important to take some steps to avoid being affected by a deep fake, such as:
- Verify, the authenticity of the media before sharing or believing it. You can use tools such as reverse image search, fact-checking websites or deep fake detection software to check if the media is real or not.
- Educate, yourself and others about the existence and potential impact of deep fakes. You can learn more about how they are made and how they can be detected by reading articles, watching videos or taking courses on this topic.
- Report, any suspicious or harmful deepfake that you encounter. You can flag it as inappropriate on the platform where you found it, or contact the authorities if it involves illegal or unethical activities.
- Protect your own digital identity and privacy. You can limit the amount of personal information and media that you share online, or use tools such as watermarking or encryption to prevent unauthorized use of your data.
Deep fakes are a new and emerging phenomenon that pose both opportunities and challenges for our society. By being aware, informed and vigilant, we can enjoy the benefits of deep fakes while minimizing their risks.
