Deepfake technology

Deepfake technology

• The sophistication of audio, video, and image editing techniques has rapidly increased as a result of recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing technology.
• The country's online overseer, the Cyberspace Administration of China, is implementing new rules to limit the use of deep synthesis technology and stop the deception.

About deepfake:

• A person in an already-existing video or photograph is replaced with another person in a deepfake type of synthetic media. Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, it manipulates the audio/video, which has a tendency to deceive.
• It has attracted attention because of how quickly false information, celebrity pornography, etc. can be transmitted online.
• By adding fresh audio or visuals on top of an already-existing media file, it creates a fake version of authentic or original audio-visual information.
• It overlays a digital composite over an already-existing video, picture, or audio; cybercriminals use Artificial Intelligence technology.
• The term deepfake originated in 2017 when an anonymous Reddit user called himself “Deepfakes.”

Challenges posed by deep fake:

• Financial fraud is brought on by Deepfake, which is problematic for the entire financial system.
• The security of cyber networks and the reliability of online information are both threatened in the age of fake news.
• The ability to identify a hoax would be made harder by deepfakes in phishing attempts.
• Deep fakes can be used to undermine democratic processes like elections in any country.
• Since it can be used to create fake pornographic videos and make politicians appear to say things they did not, the potential for harm to people, organisations, and societies is considerable.

Deep Fakes’ technological advantages:

• Deepfakes can be used to generate fictional medical images in order to train disease detection algorithms for rare diseases and to assuage patient privacy concerns.
• Deepfake can hasten the drive for greater equity through accessibility.
• Artificial intelligence will soon be able to reason more precisely as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) advances.
• Exhibits in museums and galleries can be animated by deepfake videos.
• Deep fakes technology can be used to create AI avatars that can be used in training videos.

What other nations are doing to combat fake news:

USA:

• The Bipartisan Deepfake Task Force Act was introduced in the United States to help the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) combat deepfake technology.
• The law requires the DHS to conduct an annual assessment on deepfakes to evaluate the technology being used, monitor how both domestic and foreign companies are using it, and develop countermeasures to deal with the issue.

India:

• However, there are no laws prohibiting the use of deepfake technology in India.
• However, certain legal issues, such as copyright violations, defamation, and cyber crimes, can be handled when technology is used improperly.

European Union:

• To prevent the spread of false information using deepfakes, the European Union has amended its Code of Practice.
• The updated Code mandates that social media platforms like Twitter, Google, and Meta take action against deepfakes and fake accounts.
• Once they have agreed to the Code, they have six months to put their plans into action.

Way Forward

• As media consumers, we must be able to decipher, understand, translate, and use the information we encounter.
• Meaningful regulations created in collaboration with the technology industry, civil society, and the government can aid in preventing the creation and spread of malicious deep fakes.
• Deep fakes pose risks to the government, society, economy, culture, and local communities, which should be known by policymakers.
• Additionally, technical solutions that are simple to use and widely available are required to identify deep fakes, verify media, and amplify reliable sources.