Deepfake

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fake image of Donald Trump being arrested.

Deepfake is the name for media content that has been changed, or created using technologies of artificial intelligence. In most cases, deepfakes are photos, or sequences of videos or audio. In itself, media manipulation is not new. Using machine learning, and artificial neural networks, it is possible to create such content more easily, as less specialized knowledge is required. Also, detecting that an image, video or media piece was made using these technologies is becoming more difficult.

As of 2023, deepfakes are used in different contexts:

Problems[change | change source]

Deepfakes cause a number of problems:

  • Audio deepfakes are used for social engineering. The people then believe they get instructions from someone they trust.[3] In 2019, a U.K.-based energy firm's CEO was scammed over the phone when he was ordered to transfer €220,000 into a Hungarian bank account by an individual who used audio deepfake technology to impersonate the voice of the firm's parent company's chief executive.[4]
  • Fake photos and videos make it difficult to tell if a photo or video is real or a fake. This can be used for disinformation.

Shallowfakes[change | change source]

Shallowfakes or cheapfakes are similar to deepfakes. They use the same techonlogies, but are less advanced. As an example, they might show a real image, in a different context, so that a different impression is generated.[5]

Gallery[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. Kirchengast, T (2020). "Deepfakes and image manipulation: criminalisation and control". Information & Communications Technology Law. 29 (3): 308–323. doi:10.1080/13600834.2020.1794615. S2CID 221058610.
  2. Tayler, Kelley M.; Harris, Laurie A. (June 8, 2021). Deep Fakes and National Security (Report). Congressional Research Service. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. Statt, Nick (5 Sep 2019). "Thieves are now using AI deepfakes to trick companies into sending them money". Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 13 Sep 2019.
  4. Damiani, Jesse. "A Voice Deepfake Was Used To Scam A CEO Out Of $243,000". Forbes. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
  5. Bobbie Johnson (2019-03-25). "Deepfakes are solvable—but don't forget that "shallowfakes" are already pervasive". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2023-05-16.