How to identify deepfake videos and images
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Movements that appear out of place, as well as odd facial expressions, should be on the lookout.
Observing deepfake videos closely enough can lead to an uncanny valley feeling because the artificial intelligence behind them isn't yet perfect (AI in general is getting closer). Your unease stems from your belief that something is off about the person in the video, no matter how lifelike they appear to be to the naked eye.
With the face, start with the eye-blinking and eye-direction movements, as well as lip movements in sync with speech and the timing of smiles or frowns. Does it make sense to you that they're so disjointed? Similarly, pay attention to any body movements that appear jerky or spontaneously occur without any apparent reason. If the body does not naturally align with the head or has an unusual posture, this should be investigated. Observe how the shadow falls and the movement of the hair.
So, keep an eye out for anything that seems out of the ordinary, such as jerky movement or an unnatural appearance. In addition, be wary of low-quality media sources and content. Some of the most common techniques for hiding edits include blurring, pixelation, and other types of image manipulation.
Have you seen the video of Barack Obama calling Donald Trump a "total and complete dipshit?" What about the video of John Krasinski playing Captain America? Or the one in which Mark Zuckerberg asserts that he has complete control over the lives and secrets of individuals? Video examples created with deepfake technology can be found here.
What do you mean by deepfakes?
A deepfake is a fake news story. Data manipulation through artificial intelligence and other automation is used to create objectively false but believable information. There are many uses for Deepfake, but the majority of them are for malicious purposes.
The good use of synthetic media in entertainment, education, and accessibility pales in comparison to the numerous instances of misuse by bad actors involved in misinformation, carnal pleasures, and theft. However, deepfake also includes audio alterations that allow an impostor to mimic the voice of another person, like a politician, a celebrity, or any other public figure.
Don't put too much stock in what you see or hear on the Internet because of the proliferation of deepfakes. Understand how to tell if the information you're consuming is real or not. Tips for dealing with deepfakes are included here.
Take steps to make sure that the content is real and hasn't been changed.
Always check to see if the video or image is genuine to ensure that you are not fooled by fabricated content. By comparing hash values, which are digital signatures that are unique to each file and can be used to show that it hasn't been changed, you can make sure that a media file hasn't been changed in the digital world.
The Linux distribution Ubuntu, for example, makes use of hashes to assist you in determining whether or not your installer has been corrupted or tampered with. Alternatively, if your installer copy came from an unknown source, you can simply generate a hash value for that copy and compare it to the signatures for Ubuntu releases that are attached to this page. If the values are identical, you have a genuine copy.
Another set of digital fingerprinting techniques and information that can be used to distinguish genuine videos from deepfakes are video hashing, image metadata, and digital watermarking. You can also do a reverse image search to see if the picture you have is a copy of another picture.
Practice figuring out fakes.
To tell if something is fake, you'll have to get better at using technology and AI to make it. The best way to stay ahead is to keep learning how to tell if someone is lying or manipulating the facts. There are websites that can help you with this. There are even test and quiz websites.
There are 32 texts, photos, and videos in the MIT project Detect Fakes, but only half of them have been proven to be real. Then, see if you can tell the real ones from the fakes. There's also SpotDeepfakes.org, which is another website you can play with.
Make use of tools to help you.
It's not a good idea. As an end-user, take advantage of tools you can use to learn about deepfakes and other types of scams:
- It's a good idea to get a browser extension that tells you which websites and search engine results are safe. Some of the most popular choices are NewsGuard, McAfee WebAdvisor, and Avast Online Security & Privacy. Many dangerous and risky websites have fakes.
- In most cases, Snopes.com and FactCheck.org will be interested in very convincing deepfakes that spread quickly. These websites will help you get rid of any false information. In the Philippines, a website called Rappler often fact-checks information that is spread on social media.
- Learn how to make your own deep fake content. Legitimate companies make tools for making deepfakes and changing media for non-harmful reasons. A project called Project In-Between is being worked on by Adobe. This makes photos come to life. There are even free smartphone apps for face swapping, which is one of the most common ways to make a person look like someone else.