HOW IT
- The word “deepfake” is a mash-up of the words “deep learning,” which is associated with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), and an old-fashioned reference to something being “fake.”
- Fraudsters start by taking advantage of an abundance of content available of a specific individual for free from online news outlets and social media, including consumer- generated video and photos
- The fraudster manipulates that content into a new image or voice recording with the subject saying or doing something that they never did or that is out of character for them
- The process itself is very technical: Deepfakes are generated by neural networks, using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to imitate real humans
- However, an advanced degree is not required to create deepfakes thanks to readily available software that enables people with basic computer skills to become deepfake creators
- Quality of the final product may reflect skill level, but may also improve over time due to machine learning, not necessarily human learning
- WHO GETS HURT
- Those most often victimized are politicians, celebrities and high-level business executives, due in part to the availability of images, videos and audio recordings of them on the internet
- Sometimes the goal of the fraudster is a funny prank that drives social media engagement
- But other times the goal is to spread misinformation, ruin reputations or inflict financial harm
- Don’t assume you won’t be impacted by deepfake if you are not a Hollywood or Washington, D.C., socialite
- An internet search on deepfakes highlights a wide array of fraud
- For example, workers at corporations have been duped into taking inappropriate actions when instructed by a deepfake of their CEO instructing them to do so, sometimes resulting in significant costs and job losses
- At a minimum, you may be misinformed about an important topic or person due to deepfakes
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