The ability to create synthetic videos outweighs detection methods by ‘100 to 1’, according to a digital forensics professor at UC Berkeley quoted in The Washington Post
The US public is not ready for the possible consequences of deepfakes in the upcoming Presidential elections, the Post reports.
AI researchers are ‘racing to defuse an extraordinary political weapon: computer-generated fake videos.’ Differences between real and fake may be imperceptible to the human brain within 18 to 24 months. At the same time, the software is becoming more accessible.
Some uses can be highly creative, generating new images and videos never before imagined or expressed by humans. Others create lifelike images and videos that can be used maliciously, such as political leaders appearing to say untrue things or individuals engaged in derogatory activities.
OTHER RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- A deepfake of Mark Zuckerberg attracted attention as a piece of art unapproved by the Facebook founder.
- Americans believe ‘made-up news’ is a bigger problem than violent crime, immigration, terrorism, racism or sexism, according to a new study by Pew Research.
OUR TAKE
- In a world where video (and audio) can be routinely falsified, the public increasingly relies on news outlets to mediate trustworthy information.
- Detecting deepfakes goes well beyond current competencies in fact-checking. New skills and new technologies will be needed.
- Look for a ‘truth arms race’ as tools to create deepfakes become more sophisticated, requiring better tools to identify forgeries.
RELATED STORIES
- Facebook lets deepfake Zuckerberg video stay on Instagram | BBC NEWS | June 12, 2019 |‘”We will treat this content the same way we treat all misinformation on Instagram,” said a spokesman for the app’s parent company Facebook.’
- Many Americans Say Made-Up News Is a Critical Problem That Needs To Be Fixed | PEW RESEARCH | | June 5, 2019 | ‘Politicians viewed as major creators of it, but journalists seen as the ones who should fix it’