Countering Deepfakes

Context: While deepfakes can create possibilities for people, it can also be used to damage reputations, fabricate evidence, defrauds the public, and undermine trust in democratic institutions.

Introduction: Deepfakes are the digital media (video, audio, and images) manipulated using Arti?cial Intelligence. This synthetic media content is referred to as deepfakes. 

Issues with the Deepfakes:

• A Cyber Frankenstein: It can be weaponised to inflict harm by fabricating media through swap faces, lip-syncing and puppeteer, mostly without consent.

• Threat to security and businesses: It can be manipulated by violent extremists and economically motivated enterprises.

• Threat of political instability: It can be used by the leaders to denigrate other communities which can lead to increased hatred and risk of loss of lives and livelihoods.

• Targets Women: Malicious use of deepfake was seen in pornography, inflicting emotional, reputational damage, violence and commodification of women.

• Promotes antisocial behaviour: Deepfakes can depict a person indulging in antisocial behaviours and saying vile things, sabotaging the personal and professional lives of individuals.

• Deepfakes can cause short and long-term social harm and accelerate the already declining trust in news media, leading to a culture of factual relativism, fraying the civil society fabric.

• Undermines democracy: through infodemic

• Manipulates belief: through false information about institutions, public policy, and politicians 

•  Casts shadow over election process: A high-quality deepfake can inject compelling false information that can thwart the voting process and election results. 

• Thrives authoritarianism: For authoritarian regimes, it is a tool that can be used to justify oppression and disenfranchise citizens.

• Issue of Liar’s Dividend: An undesirable truth is dismissed as deepfake or fake news by the leaders, and alternative facts are placed to replace an actual piece of media and truth.

Way Forward

• Multi-stakeholder and multi-modal approach: to defend the truth and secure freedom of expression across legislative regulations, platform policies and technology intervention.
• Media literacy for consumers and journalists: to combat disinformation and deepfakes.
• Meaningful regulations with a collaborative discussion: all stakeholders and disincentivising the creation and distribution of malicious deepfakes.
• Employing easy-to-use and accessible technology solutions: to detect deepfakes, authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources.

Conclusion: To counter the menace of deepfakes, everyone must take the responsibility to be a critical consumer of media on the Internet and be part of the solution to this infodemic.