Have you ever seen a video of Jennifer Anniston sitting in front of the camera, telling people if they click the link in the bio of the suspicious Instagram and put in their extremely personal information, they can win a free iPad Pro? 

If you answered yes, congrats, you saw a DeepFake. 

What is a DeepFake? 

A DeepFake is a clip, video, or photo altered by AI. 

How did DeepFakes start?

The term DeepFakes was coined in 2017 by a Reddit moderator under the same moniker, who founded a subreddit for users to exchange deepfake pornography they had created using photos of celebrities and open source face-swapping technology. 

Who can be affected by DeepFakes? 

Here’s the scary answer… anyone can. 

Anyone who has ever posted their photo or a video of themselves online can be affected by DeepFakes and AI in a negative and potentially life-damaging way. Some of the world’s most famous people have had their turn at being AI-altered to do or say false things 

Some of these people include: 

• Jennifer Anniston
• Steve Harvey
• Barack Obama
• Taylor Swift

The celebrities who were affected by DeepFake have even taken to urging Congress to pass legislation to protect people’s image and likeness from these potentially damaging images and videos

Why should you care about DeepFakes?

Deepfakes can be used to spread disinformation. Disinformation is the spreading of false information, and this can have lasting effects on people who may not have the media literacy to know what they are consuming is digitally altered. 

For extra content on DeepFakes and to learn how to spot AI-altered images and videos, watch the video below for more information.

Sources: 

“Deepfake Technology: What Is It, How Does It Work, and What Can It Be Used For?” BBC Newsround, BBC, 15 May 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/69009887 Reagan, Gabe. “A Brief History of Deepfakes.” Reality Defender – Enterprise-Grade Deepfake Detection, June 2024, www.realitydefender.com/insights/history-of-deepfakes