Could deepfakes weaken democracy?

The Economist

22 Oct 201905:50

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses the growing threat of deepfakes, which are synthetic videos created using AI, to democracy. It explores how deepfakes can spread misinformation, manipulate public perception, and erode trust in democratic systems. The Spectre Project and other experiments highlight the ease of using deepfakes to influence people, posing risks to both personal data privacy and political stability. Experts express concerns about 'reality apathy,' where people give up on distinguishing real from fake. To counter this, Cambridge scientists developed a game to teach users to detect disinformation, likening it to creating mental antibodies against fake news.

Takeaways

😄 Democracy can be easily manipulated through online disinformation and deepfakes.
😈 Deepfakes can be used to manipulate people online for profit, further complicating the spread of fake news.
🤖 The use of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos raises concerns about the boundaries between truth and fabricated content.
📰 Deepfakes have the potential to weaken democracy by making it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is fake.
🚨 The Spectre Project, led by artist Bill Posters, highlights the dangers of deepfake technologies being used by powerful tech companies to manipulate data.
📉 Social media platforms like Facebook have attempted to reduce the visibility of deepfake videos, but these efforts may not be enough to prevent disinformation from spreading.
⚠️ Deepfakes could lead to 'reality apathy,' where people give up on politics due to an inability to trust what they see or hear.
👀 There is a growing concern that politicians could use deepfakes as an excuse to deny legitimate claims and avoid scrutiny.
🧠 Cambridge University scientists are working on educating people to spot fake news and disinformation through a computer game.
💉 The concept of 'mental antibodies' can help people become resistant to fake news, similar to how vaccines work against viruses.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the provided video script?
-The main topic of the script is the impact of deepfake technology on democracy and the challenges of disinformation in the digital age.
What is a deepfake?
-A deepfake is a synthesized piece of content, such as a video, created using artificial intelligence to manipulate the appearance and actions of individuals, often making it difficult to distinguish from real footage.
How could deepfakes potentially weaken democracy?
-Deepfakes could weaken democracy by making it difficult for people to trust what they see, leading to misinformation, political manipulation, and a decrease in public trust in democratic processes.
What does the term 'reality apathy' mean?
-Reality apathy refers to a phenomenon where people give up trying to make sense of events because it becomes too difficult to determine what is true, potentially leading them to disengage from democratic politics.
Who is Bill Posters and what is the Spectre Project?
-Bill Posters is an artist behind the deepfake videos known as the Spectre Project, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to create fake content involving famous celebrity influencers to explore the impact of disinformation.
What concerns are raised regarding deepfakes and corrupt politicians?
-The concern is that corrupt politicians could use deepfakes as an excuse to deny real footage of their wrongdoing, claiming that the videos are fake, which could further erode trust in democratic institutions.
How did Facebook respond to the deepfake videos posted on Instagram?
-Facebook downgraded the visibility of the deepfake videos posted on Instagram, which is a platform owned by Facebook, to limit their reach.
What is the computer game developed by Cambridge University scientists intended to do?
-The computer game developed by Cambridge University scientists is intended to teach people how to spot disinformation by putting them in the role of a fake news producer, helping them understand the techniques used to spread fake content.
How does Dr. Sander van der Linden's approach to combating fake news relate to preventative medicine?
-Dr. Sander van der Linden's approach is similar to preventative medicine, where people are exposed to a weakened dose of misinformation to help them build mental antibodies, making them more resistant to fake news.
Why is deepfake technology considered a potential threat to democratic elections?
-Deepfake technology is considered a threat to democratic elections because it can be used to create convincing fake videos that mislead voters, manipulate public opinion, and undermine the credibility of candidates.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Threat of Deepfakes to Democracy

This paragraph explores how deepfake technology, which uses AI to create synthetic content, can manipulate people’s perceptions of reality. It emphasizes the potential dangers deepfakes pose to democracy by blurring the lines between what is real and fake. By hacking the bodies of famous celebrities, such as in the Spectre Project by artist Bill Posters, deepfakes highlight the vulnerability of our personal data being exploited. The paragraph also discusses the viral spread of a deepfake of Mark Zuckerberg, raising concerns about how deepfakes can amplify disinformation.

05:03

⚠️ The Dark History and Future of Image Manipulation

Building on the threat of deepfakes, this paragraph outlines the long-standing use of image manipulation by autocratic regimes, such as Stalin’s erasure of political enemies. It contrasts past methods with modern AI's capacity to create deepfake videos that can deceive viewers, such as comedian Bill Hader morphing into Tom Cruise. As the technology progresses, deepfakes are seen as a growing danger in democratic societies, potentially misleading voters and undermining decision-making.

💬 How Deepfakes Could Undermine Accountability

This section discusses the broader societal risks posed by deepfakes, specifically how they could allow corrupt politicians to dismiss real scandals as ‘fake’ by blaming deepfakes. Aviv Ovadya of the Thoughtful Technology Project warns that deepfakes may create 'reality apathy,' where people lose trust in information entirely, ultimately weakening democratic engagement. The fear is that the increasing difficulty in discerning real from fake content will drive people to disengage from politics altogether.

🕵️ Fighting Back Against Disinformation with Games

A solution to the deepfake and fake news crisis is presented through the work of Cambridge University scientists, who developed a computer game to help people identify disinformation. In the game, users simulate being fake news producers, learning the tactics of spreading misinformation while balancing credibility. Dr. Sander van der Linden, the game's designer, believes this will build 'mental antibodies,' helping users distinguish fact from fiction after playing. The game's concept draws from preventive medicine, training users to resist manipulation much like vaccines train the immune system.

🛡️ Building Immunity to Fake News

The final paragraph expands on the preventive idea, comparing the mental antibodies generated by the disinformation game to the immune system's response to a virus. It suggests that, just as the immune system fights off disease, people can train themselves to recognize fake news, becoming their own ‘bullshit detectors.’ However, it warns that until people learn to critically assess video content, deepfakes could continue to threaten democracy by making it easier to fake convincing videos.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Democracy

Democracy refers to a system of government in which power is vested in the people, often through elected representatives. The video explores how democracy can be undermined by the spread of misinformation and deepfakes, which may distort public opinion and erode trust in democratic processes. It emphasizes that democracy fails if people no longer believe in it, as seen in the mention of 'reality apathy.'

💡Deepfakes

Deepfakes are synthetic media, such as videos or audio, created using artificial intelligence to depict people doing or saying things they never actually did. In the video, deepfakes are shown as a growing threat to democracy because they blur the line between what is real and what is fake. For example, a fake clip of Mark Zuckerberg went viral, demonstrating how deepfakes can spread disinformation.

💡Disinformation

Disinformation refers to deliberately false or misleading information spread with the intent to deceive. The video highlights the dangers of disinformation being amplified through technologies like deepfakes, which can manipulate voters and weaken democratic societies. It also addresses how tech companies struggle to manage disinformation effectively, creating a 'regulatory black hole.'

💡Reality Apathy

Reality apathy is the phenomenon where people become overwhelmed by misinformation, leading them to stop trying to understand what is true. The video suggests that deepfakes could lead to this apathy, where individuals no longer trust any information, causing disengagement from democratic politics. Aviv Ovadya is cited as warning that deepfakes could foster this harmful state.

💡Spectre Project

The Spectre Project is an artistic initiative led by Bill Posters, using deepfakes and AI to raise awareness about the manipulation of personal data and the impact of misinformation. In the video, the project is used to demonstrate how personal data can be exploited and how deepfakes can shape public perceptions in unexpected ways.

💡Fake News

Fake news refers to false information or propaganda that is presented as fact, often to mislead the public. The video explores how deepfakes contribute to the spread of fake news, making it more difficult for people to distinguish between what is real and fake. For example, it shows how deepfakes could be used to create convincing but entirely false news stories.

💡Manipulation

Manipulation in the video refers to the deliberate influencing of people's perceptions, behaviors, or decisions through misinformation or deception, particularly through deepfakes and data exploitation. The video emphasizes how powerful actors, such as tech companies, can manipulate individuals into sharing data, which is then used to predict or control future behaviors.

💡Regulatory Black Hole

A regulatory black hole refers to an area of technology or policy that is not adequately governed by existing laws or regulations. The video points out that deepfake technology operates in such a black hole, meaning there are few rules to prevent its misuse. This lack of regulation makes it easier for deepfakes to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion without accountability.

💡Tech Companies

Tech companies like Facebook play a central role in the spread and regulation of disinformation, including deepfakes. The video criticizes these companies for not doing enough to prevent the viral spread of harmful content. For example, Facebook is mentioned as downgrading the visibility of the deepfake videos in the Spectre Project but not stopping them from going viral.

💡Digital Literacy

Digital literacy refers to the ability to critically evaluate and understand online content. The video highlights efforts to combat deepfakes and fake news through educational tools like the computer game developed by scientists at Cambridge University. This game teaches people how to spot disinformation, improving their ability to navigate and assess the credibility of digital media.

Highlights

Democracy is easy, it’s like stealing ice cream from a baby.

I genuinely love the process of manipulating people online for money.

Deepfakes will make for even more complicated arguments about what is fake news and what is real.

If seeing is no longer believing, the question is: could deepfakes weaken democracy?

Democracy just doesn’t work if people don’t believe in it.

The deepfake artworks used AI and machine-learning technologies to hack the bodies of famous celebrity influencers.

The Spectre Project explored how our personal data is used in unexpected ways by tech companies, changing our understanding of today.

To test Facebook’s response, Bill Posters posted the deepfake videos on Instagram, which the company downgraded in visibility.

Spectre showed how to manipulate people into sharing intimate data about themselves and those they love for free.

The fake clip of Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg went viral, showing the potential for spreading disinformation through deepfakes.

As tech advances, the danger is that deepfakes will be used to mislead voters in democratic countries.

Aviv Ovadya warns that deepfakes could allow corrupt politicians to deny real videos, creating a world where people don’t know what to trust.

The ultimate threat from deepfakes could be 'reality apathy,' where people give up on understanding what’s real.

A group of scientists at Cambridge University created a game to teach people how to spot disinformation by stepping into the shoes of a fake news producer.

The goal of the game is to spread fake content online while maintaining credibility, helping people distinguish fact from fiction.

Just as vaccines trigger antibodies, people can develop mental antibodies to become immune against fake news after exposure.