Should We Panic?

After reading my previous blogs about deepfakes, you may wonder “should I be worried about deepfakes now?” The answer is no, not necessarily. Deepfake media are not inherently good nor bad, and the presence of deepfake media is small when compared to other forms of cyberattacks. On a similar note, most cyberattacks target high-profile individuals and/or companies, so the average citizen need not panic just yet. Of course, it is still important for everyone to have a general understanding of deepfake media, but it is unlikely that the average Joe will be targeted by a deepfake attack anytime soon. 

As described last week, social networking sites like Facebook are creating and implementing their own deepfake detection technology to protect their users from disinformation. Several states in the United States are also passing legislation against certain uses of deepfake media. If you have been keeping up with my past blog posts, then you can rest assured, knowing that 1) you know how to identify deepfake media on your own and 2) social networks and higher powers are working to keep you safe. 

I advise you, my reader, to be skeptical of all information you see online, especially the news. Even if the information comes from a trusted source, it may not be 100% factual and unbiased. Do your own research to confirm information you see on the Internet. Most importantly, you want to be a properly informed citizen, but there is no need to panic about the prevalence of disinformation.