Meg Donnelly Deepfake (2024)

FAQs

What is the unethical use of deepfakes? ›

Deepfakes can also create misinformation and confusion about important issues. Further, deepfake technology can fuel other unethical actions like creating revenge p*rn, where women are disproportionately harmed.

Not only has this technology created confusion, skepticism, and the spread of misinformation, deepfakes also pose a threat to privacy and security. With the ability to convincingly impersonate anyone, cybercriminals can orchestrate phishing scams or identity theft operations with alarming precision.

All of these types of deepfake media – image, video, audio, and text – could be used to simulate or alter a specific individual or the representation of that individual. This is the primary threat of deepfakes.

Privacy Concerns

Deepfakes can be used for harmful purposes, such as creating fake content featuring individuals without their consent. A notable example of this is the actors' strike in 2023, where actors protested using AI and deepfakes to use their likeness without their consent.

There is currently no federal law against disseminating such content. However, some legal professionals believe “such illicit practices may not require new legislation, as they already fall under a patchwork of existing privacy, defamation or intellectual property laws,” according to an article by Law.com.

The use of facial manipulation of deepfakes to create or distribute child sexual abuse material is unequivocally illegal and falls under strict CSAM laws. These laws are clear and provide a firm legal basis for prosecuting such offenses.

There are currently no federal laws in the US that prohibit the sharing or creation of deepfake images, but there is a growing push for a change to federal law. In January 2024, representatives proposed the No Artificial Intelligence Fake Replicas And Unauthorized Duplications (No AI FRAUD) Act.

Georgia, Hawaii, Texas and Virginia have laws on the books that criminalize nonconsensual deepfake p*rn. California and Illinois have given victims the right to sue those who create images using their likenesses. Minnesota and New York do both. Minnesota's law also targets using deepfakes in politics.

Among them, South Dakota this year passed a law that makes it illegal to possess, produce or distribute A.I.-generated sexual abuse material depicting real minors. Last year, Louisiana enacted a deepfake law that criminalizes A.I.-generated sexually explicit depictions of minors.

If you don't agree to your image being used or manipulated, then it's wrong for someone to do so. It's a line that can be (and has been) easily turned into law — if you deepfake someone without their consent, then you risk a criminal charge. The illegality would certainly limit (if not stop) its use.

Why is AI hurting society? ›

If AI algorithms are biased or used in a malicious manner — such as in the form of deliberate disinformation campaigns or autonomous lethal weapons — they could cause significant harm toward humans. Though as of right now, it is unknown whether AI is capable of causing human extinction.

Non-consensual sexual deepfakes are a form of image-based sexual abuse. The non-consensual use of images and videos is damaging to individuals who have their image altered and to individuals in the original videos who have their identity erased and their work appropriated.

Use a reputable antivirus program: A good antivirus program can help protect your computer from malware that could be used to create deepfakes. Be aware of the signs of deepfakes: If you see a video or image that seems too good to be true, it may be a deepfake. Be careful about sharing it or believing it.

Face Swapping: The most common form of deepfake involves face swapping, where the face of one person is superimposed onto the body of another in video footage. This can make it appear as though a person is saying or doing things they never did.

To combat such abuses, technologies can be used to detect deepfakes or enable authentication of genuine media. Detection technologies aim to identify fake media without needing to compare it to the original, unaltered media. These technologies typically use a form of AI known as machine learning.

Deepfakes are misleading audio, video or images that are created or edited with AI technology. In January, deepfake audio that impersonated President Joe Biden telling Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary was sent to thousands of voters in a robocall.

Lack of Trust and Ethical Concerns

The most significant drawback of deepfake marketing is the potential erosion of trust. As deepfakes blur the lines between reality and fraud, consumers may find it challenging to discern authentic content from artificially generated material.

1) Evasion of authentication – Threat actors can create fabricated audio or video through deepfakes to bypass authentication systems. 2) Impersonation through deepfakes – Deepfake technology can be used to create realistic fake audio, videos, and images that help the attacker perform impersonation.

Misinformation and Manipulation: Creators utilize Deepfake technology to make convincing fake videos or audio recordings, leading to the spread of misinformation, and manipulation of public opinion. Thus it has the potential to damage reputations, scam people, and create conflicts.