Last week, I gave advice that helps an internet user identify deepfake media (DFM). This week, I want to discuss the impact of DFM when it is not identified as fake.
Deepfakes are not inherently malicious, but they can prove troublesome when they are made to spread disinformation. When DFM spread disinformation, they can be just as powerful, if not more powerful, than real news. DFM have the ability to affect very real issues, just like any other fake news. DFM can impact the stock market, sway opinions, and disrupt politics.
Fortunately for the world, but unfortunately for my argument, there are no major notable cases of DFM affecting the world as other fake news does; however, the existence of DFM is still a problem. Professor Lilian Edwards of Newcastle University stated, “The problem may not be so much the faked reality as the fact that real reality becomes plausibly deniable.” Now, anyone who is legitimately caught on video, picture, or audio can claim that whatever was recorded was faked. Falsely claiming that any incriminating media is fake can become an issue in both the court of justice and the court of public opinion, especially if there is a presumption of guilt. In that instance, that claim can lead to a criminal escaping jail time and/or an innocent person going to jail for a crime they did not commit. This will also increasingly become an issue as it becomes harder to identify when media are faked. It is difficult to guess the extent of issues that can be caused by deepfake media, but it is safe to say that the possibilities are potentially endless.
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