Deception of “Deepfake” Videos
New technology on the internet lets anyone make videos of real people appearing to say things they’ve never said. Republicans and Democrats predict this high-tech way of putting words in someone’s mouth will become the latest weapon in disinformation wars against the United States and other Western democracies.
We’re not talking about lip-syncing videos. This technology uses facial mapping and artificial intelligence to produce videos that appear so genuine it’s hard to spot the phonies. Lawmakers and intelligence officials worry that the bogus videos — called deepfakes — could be used to threaten national security or interfere in elections.
So far, that hasn’t happened, but experts say it’s not a question of if, but when.
“I expect that here in the United States we will start to see this content in the upcoming midterms and national election two years from now,” said Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. “The technology, of course, knows no borders, so I expect the impact to ripple around the globe.”
When an average person can create a realistic fake video of the president saying anything they want, Farid said, “we have entered a new world where it is going to be difficult to know how to believe what we see.” The reverse is a concern, too. People may dismiss as fake genuine footage, say of a real atrocity, to score political points.
Realizing the implications of the technology, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is already two years into a four-year program to develop technologies that can detect fake images and videos. Right now, it takes extensive analysis to identify phony videos. It’s unclear if new ways to authenticate images or detect fakes will keep pace with deepfake technology.
Vocabulary
putting words in someone’s mouth – falsely claiming that a person said something they did not actually say, “Don’t say I hate dogs; you are putting words in my mouth.”
disinformation wars – conflicts fought by spreading false, harmful information on purpose to deceive or weaken an opponent, “Social media has become a primary battlefield for modern disinformation wars.”
facial mapping – a technology that measures and records the specific features and movements of a person’s face, “The video game used facial mapping to make the characters look identical to the real actors.”
bogus videos – fake, false, or counterfeit video clips designed to trick people, “The police warned the public that the bogus videos online were created to steal personal data.”
deepfakes – highly realistic fake videos or audio recordings created using artificial intelligence to show someone doing or saying something they didn’t do, “The security team is developing software to spot deepfakes before they spread online.”
interfere in – to get involved in a situation on purpose to disrupt, change, or damage it, “It is illegal for outside countries to interfere in another nation’s elections.”
not a question of if, but when – a phrase used to say that an event is absolutely certain to happen in the future, even if the exact time is unknown, “With rising ocean levels, a major flood is not a question of if, but when.”
digital forensics – the scientific study and analysis of digital data, images, and devices to solve crimes or detect fakes, “The expert in digital forensics proved that the email had been edited.”
ripple around the globe – to spread quickly and have an effect on people all over the entire world, “The economic crisis started in one country but quickly began to ripple around the globe.”
dismiss as – to treat something as unworthy of serious thought, or to decide quickly that it is false or useless, “She chose to dismiss as nonsense the rumors she heard at school.”
atrocity – an extremely cruel, violent, and shocking act, usually committed against a large group of people, “The international court punished the leaders responsible for the wartime atrocity.”
score political points – to do or say something mainly to gain an advantage over political rivals, “The politician used the local tragedy to score political points on television.”
implications – the possible future effects, results, or consequences of an action or decision, “Before you sign the contract, you must consider its financial implications.”
extensive analysis – a very deep, thorough, and careful study of something, “Doctors did an extensive analysis of the medical test results to find the cause of his illness.”
authenticate – to prove that something is real, genuine, and true, “An expert was called to authenticate the old painting found in the attic.”
keep pace with – to move, develop, or improve at the same speed as something else, “Technology is changing so fast that it is hard for laws to keep pace with it.”