The lack of internet regulation today is horrifying.
Technology is advancing faster than we can point out dangers. It’s now possible to digitally create individuals’ faces with software.
The software takes images of a face from various angles and can create a nearly-exact copy. This copy can be pasted on top of another person’s face in a video, acting as the copied person in what is made to look like real-time.
Amateur AI software like this is readily available on apps like Snapchat.
This endangers everyday citizens to be the victims of at worst- revenge pornography, the process is nicknamed “deepfakes.” Recently, a trend of deepfakes “starring” celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, and other famous young women has gained traction.
Think twice about how many selfies and videos you post of yourself and others, there’s no legal action to take against cyber-criminals of this nature. Yet.
Democratic senators such as Ron Wyden, Adriano Espaillat, and others have expressed concern over the digital identity stealing technology and are searching for ways to combat it legally. Unfortunately, the ideas being tossed around border on invasion of privacy.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is being asked to look into protecting the public from AI attacks such as deepfakes, and lawmakers suggest using biometrics as a form of authentication. Does this mean newer laptop, tablet, and phone models will have to fingerprint users before legally using social media?
It’s already happening to some degree. Apple uses ID touch to unlock devices and accounts. We’re on our way to biometrics at this rate.
Recently, in Shane Dawson’s conspiracy theory series on YouTube the topic of ‘deepfakes’ was portrayed as a tool for criminals.
Dawson shares a hypothetical scenario of a scorned woman using deepfake software to incriminate her cheating husband.
The ultimate danger is deepfaking political leaders, making them say or do whatever in order to wreak havoc on the world. The New York Times has already raised concerns on the issue as it pertains to furthering fake news.
More public campaigns should be made to alert the public and all internet identities should be aware that their faces could be the next target for deepfakes.