Deception Isn't Difficult

Normally, when I hear the word "deepfake," one part of the word jumps out to me: fake. Those aren't actually believable, right? They just seem like a phenomenon of the future. Well, turns out it is our current reality. Not only are they being used right now, but they are also changing the amount of caution you must use to answer the question, Is this real? 

Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to manipulate audio and video, making it look or sound like someone is saying or doing something they never did. At first, this technology seemed harmless, solely used for entertainment or experiments. Now, however, it is being used for another purpose: deception. In the videos we watched, I was shocked by how difficult it was for me to identify a deepfake from a real video. To be honest, I actually got 90% of my guesses wrong. A person’s voice, facial expressions, and gestures can all be mimicked almost perfectly.

What really shocked me were the real-world examples. Scammers have gone as far as to use deepfaked voices to impersonate CEOs and trick employees into wiring them money. Others have used deepfake videos to spread misinformation during elections or damage someone’s reputation. The fact that this is happening - and working - should completely reform what one considers when deciding if a source is "credible." For instance, when seeing a video of a politician, one might have to consider, "How biased does this sound? Would a politician normally ever say this?" Context has become a lot more important when it comes to credibility.

Another scary aspect that I hadn't considered was that deepfakes quite literally attack our natural instincts, making us more susceptible to thinking they are real. Humans are wired to believe what we see and hear, especially if it comes from a familiar face or voice. Deepfakes completely (and intentionally) exploit that trust.

Ultimately, this lesson hit me with a harsh realization: it’s not enough to just “not believe everything you see online.” Now, you may be quite literally watching someone speak in a video. A few years ago, there would have been no need to question if it was really them, but now, that is a key aspect to consider. For me, this was a wake-up call. Being in a generation that relies on technology immensely and finds the majority of information via the Internet, understanding this room for deception feels essential. 

Deception is, well, no longer difficult.