TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
Deepfakes: what they are and how to spot them
By Africa Check
Concern around the potential for deepfake technology to compromise American security and society has led to the drafting of new legislation.
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alled the Deepfake Report Act, it was compiled by US Senators Cory Gardner, Rob Portman and Martin Heinrich in their capacity as co-founders of the United States Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus, along with Caucus members Joni Ernst, Brian Schatz, Gary Peters and Mike Rounds. It is intended to direct the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an annual study of deepfakes and other types of similar content, they said in a press release, calling the Act a “crucial step” in an era “where we have more information available at our fingertips than ever”.
What are deepfakes? Described by the US Caucus as “hyperrealistic, digital manipulations of real content that depict events that did not actually occur”, deepfakes have made international headlines in recent months. Malicious deepfakes include postings of people in compromising sexual positions, politicians and celebrities saying things
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they never said and the face-aging app that went viral on Facebook earlier this year.
Enormous opportunities and serious challenges “Artificial intelligence (AI) presents enormous opportunities for improving the world around us but also poses serious challenges,” said Senator Gardner. “Deepfakes can be used to manipulate reality and spread misinformation quickly…. (so) we have to be vigilant about making sure that information is reliable and true in whichever form it takes.” The challenges posed by deepfakes will require policymakers to grapple with important questions related to civil liberties and privacy, added Senator Portman “As AI rapidly becomes an intrinsic part of our economy and society, AI-based threats such as deepfakes have become an increasing threat to our democracy.” “AI certainly provides a number of benefits,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “However, some of its applications – like deepfakes –
SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA SEPTEMBER 2019
are misleading folks across the country. This poses not only a threat to civil liberties, but to our national security.” Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee member Senator Gary Peters added: “When we see something with our own eyes, we tend to believe it, and video has become an important way for people around the world to communicate and share information. “Deepfakes have the potential to undermine our trust in what we see and hear by creating deceptive content that poses a threat to everything from public safety to our democracy. This bill will task our top intelligence and defense experts with shining a light on these rapidly developing threats and the implications (that) forged content can have on our society.”
New apps and websites coming South African technology expert Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, is expecting significant growth in the arena of artificial intelligence tools such as point-
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