The Truth About Deep Fakes
Deep fakes are not well understood by the general public, but they have become a source of fear for many. In today's world, it is hard to trust what you read, and now deep fakes are making it even harder to trust what you see. People must educate themselves on the truth about deep fakes if we ever hope to mitigate the damage they can do. Recently, crypto scammers advertised a deep fake video of Elon Musk's TED talk to prey on unsuspecting social media users.
What is a Deep Fake?
A deep fake is an image, video, or audio of a person whose face or body is digitally altered to look or sound like someone else. Deep fakes are a relatively new technology, and the term itself is coined from a combination of the words "deep learning" and "fake." Deep learning refers to a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that utilizes neural networks to perform analytical and physical tasks on large datasets without human intervention.
How are Deep Fakes Created?
Similar to computer viruses, perfected deep fakes can be incredibly difficult to detect. However, unlike computer viruses, anyone can create an indistinguishable deep fake. Even a junior high school student can create a deep fake using a 5-year-old iPhone. Deep fake technology is often used to spread misinformation, inspire misunderstanding, create false narratives, generate revenge porn, or mock individuals.
The Terrifying Dangers of Deep Fakes
When people with bad intentions take advantage of deep fake technology, it poses significant dangers. If it is so easy for people with little knowledge of AI systems and deep learning to use these technologies, more individuals may be inclined to inflict malicious acts against others. 95% of all deep fakes are pornographic, with millions of searches every month. Women already face disproportionate amounts of discrimination and harassment, and deep fakes only exacerbate this issue.
Ruining Lives
Deep fakes can ruin lives by creating explicit content using someone's pictures without their consent. This content can damage someone's reputation, career, and personal relationships. Celebrities have also fallen victim to explicit deep fake videos, which can have severe implications on their reputations and personal lives.
Lack of Trust and Ethical Issues
One of the most obvious impacts of deep fake technology is the creation of fake videos that make it difficult to assert authenticity. This lack of trust can have long-lasting impacts on individuals and brands. Deep fakes can be used unethically to manipulate consumers or elevate a brand's storytelling. Ethical considerations need to be taken into account when using deep fakes in entertainment and art.
Increase in Scams
Deep fake technology may also increase the number of scams online. Anyone can create false accusations or complaints against companies using deep fakes. This can lead to financial losses and reputational damage for businesses. A study estimated that businesses lose approximately $78 billion each year due to disinformation, including reputational damages.
Threats to Democracy
The use of deep fakes in disinformation campaigns poses a severe threat to democracy. High-quality deep fakes can inject false information into the public discourse and cast a shadow of illegitimacy over the voting process and election results. Nefarious actors will take advantage of deep fake technology to undermine trust in the democratic process.
Deep Fakes Without Consent
Deep fakes created without consent pose a threat to psychological security, political stability, and business disruption. While deep fakes are mostly used in pornography, there is a concern that indistinguishable deep fakes of world leaders could be distributed, causing global incidents.
Conclusion
The rise of deep fake technology has brought about significant challenges and dangers. Individuals must educate themselves about deep fakes and their potential impact on society. While there are arguments for positive uses of deep fakes, such as accessibility, education, activism, art, and self-expression, the potential harm they can cause cannot be ignored. It is essential to address the ethical and legal implications of deep fakes and take steps to mitigate their negative effects.
