DeepFake is a form of artificial intelligence that can instantly synthesize images or audio into existing videos. It can place famous actors into films they’ve never starred in and create fictitious presidential speeches.
The technology is realistic enough that Facebook, Microsoft, and other companies have developed a challenge for AI programmers. They’ve created deceptive DeepFake videos with the hope that programmers can use Artificial Intelligence to detect the minuscule miss-placed details that our human eyes might miss.
It is important to recognize that video – which some believe is the most reliable form of news – is easy to manipulate. (Photograph manipulation has been occurring for years.) We live in a time when we can’t always trust what our eyes can see. As tech-users, we must remain aware of the dangers of blind trust.
How can you know whether a video, news source, or post is true?
Check the Source
Is the post being shared by friends on Facebook? There’s a good chance that your friends are not the original source of the video, but who is? Was the video posted on a trustworthy news site? Are other news sources posting the video as well?
Be Mindful of Emotional Responses
If you are unable to locate the news source, pay attention to how the video makes you feel. Does it make you feel angry? Betrayed? Vindicated? If a disliked politician suddenly sounds like Hitler, pause before you tell everyone “I told you so!” Unless you can find “proof” from a trustworthy source, it is possible that this video was meant to rile you up.
Conclusion
There is no reason to fear such technology. Awareness is not meant to breed fear, but to help people remain vigilant. While there is no definitive way (at this point) to know whether a video is a DeepFake, it is important to check the facts behind the story. Make sure the news source is trustworthy, see if other news sources are saying the same thing, be mindful of items that are meant to cause an emotional response.