‘Whether or not opinion columnists’ direst predictions come to fruition, it seems almost inevitable that newsrooms operating in a world of deepfakes will be forced to shoulder a heavy new burden.’
Balancing verification with timely reporting is getting tougher because of rising concerns about deepfakes, say three Harvard scholars.
The simple possibility of fakery is reason for ‘an additional forensic burden.’ They suggest three tactics:
- More technical means of detection, for example using emerging detection technologies internally, or by collaborating with others, or using an out-sourced service
- More transparency in verification, for example describing the methods used and ethical questions considered
- Looking for ‘contextual clues,’ for example if and how questionable material is portrayed in other media