Deepfake Technology: A Threat to Truth in Digital Age

What is Deepfake Technology? 

Deepfake technology is using machine learning algorithms or AI to manipulate images, audio and videos. In simpler terms, the faces or voices in already existing videos or audio are replaced with new faces or voices. As much as this technology has made things easier for entertainment or creative fields, it poses a serious threat to society as it has the potential and ability to spread wrong information, harm someone’s reputation and manipulate the truth. 

In this article, I am going to explain how it is a threat to truth and how we can deal with this problem. 

1. Erosion of Trust in Media 

In today’s digital age, the dissemination of false information is alarmingly common and now with the emergence of deepfake technology, it has become even a greater challenge to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated. It is concerning how using deepfakes, anyone can attribute statements or actions to individuals that they never made. The TikTok account of Tom Cruise’s deepfake is one such example. Although this account was created for entertainment purposes only and with the consent of Tom Cruise’s team, it still shows how far the technology has come and how people can be made to believe anything they see on the internet. This account has over 3 million followers and it immediately gained popularity as people believed it to be Tom Cruise’s account. 

2. Political Manipulation 

Deepfake technology can also be used to create fake images or videos of politicians delivering speeches that they never did. It could cause chaos and unrest among people especially during elections. It could incite violence and can affect their voting behaviour. To aware people, how deepfakes can be harmful and misleading, a deepfake video of the former U.S. President Obama was made by the filmmaker, Jordan Peele. In the video, Obama is giving a public service announcement and it was created to showcase how this technology can be misused and people should be mindful when using the internet. 

3. Misinformation and Disinformation 

With the deepfake technology, the likelihood of misinformation and disinformation being disseminated has increased significantly. People can use this technology for malicious purposes as well such as blackmailing and harassment. The Wednesday actor, Jenna Ortega had to delete her X account when she saw her fake pornographic images getting viral. Bella Hadid was also a victim of deepfake technology. An anonymous individual posted a video of her in which she was declaring her support for Israel. 

4. Cybersecurity Threat 

Identity theft has become very common with the emergence of the deepfake technology. People can do fraud by impersonating someone and asking for sensitive information. They can get access to someone’s financial accounts by changing their identity through this technology. People now have to have an open mind at all times and should be careful before sharing any personal information with anyone. 

5. Impact on Journalism and News Verification

 It has now become more difficult and challenging for journalists and reporters to verify the news before publishing it. When the internet is flooded with fabricated content, journalists can not even rely on their trustworthy sources. They have to invest more time and resources into verifying the news which can slow down their whole process of finding the news, verifying it and then publishing it. 

6. Culture of Skepticism and Distrust 

Deepfake technology could also become one of the reasons for social division. If a specific group or caste is targeted through it, it can cause chaos creating further divisions within the society. Nobody would know what to believe anymore, leading to a culture of skepticism. 

What Should Be Done? 

1. Improved Detection Tools

Improved detection tools are now the need of the hour. Tech companies should work on creating better detection tools that have the ability to detect deepfakes instantly and should remove them from social media before they reach a wider audience. 

2. Spread Awareness 

There are still a lot of people who are unaware of the existence of deepfake technology and they are most likely to believe what they see on the internet. The government should run campaigns to spread awareness about what is deepfake technology and how it can be harmful to society. They should educate people about verifying news before believing or spreading it among their peers. 

3. Legislation 

While the USA has a proper legal framework for people using deepfake technology with the intention of harming someone’s reputation, Pakistan still has no such policies. Individuals should be penalized for using deepfake technology that harms anyone in any way. There should be strict policies made regarding this so people think before deceiving or defaming anyone.

Conclusion 

As technology advances with time, society must balance innovation with responsibility. To ensure that nobody is getting harmed by technology’s new advancements such as deepfake technology, a collective effort of the government, tech companies, and individuals is required. Everybody has to work together to preserve the truth and protect the world from the harmful effects of AI.