Imagine watching a video of a celebrity or politician saying something shocking—only to find out they never said it. Or hearing a familiar voice on the phone asking for help with money, only to realize it was fake. That is the world we are stepping into, thanks to a new type of technology called deep fakes.
So, What Are Deepfakes?
Deepfakes are videos, images, or even audio clips that are entirely fabricated yet appear and sound authentic. They are created with advanced computer software and artificial intelligence (AI). Using only a handful of pictures or sound recordings, an individual can fabricate a phony video of you talking or engaging in activities you never actually performed.
Initially, this may seem entertaining—similar to those apps that depict how you would appear as a cartoon or how you could age. However, deep fakes extend far beyond that, and not always positively.
Real Problems Caused by Deepfakes
Targeting People Personally
One of the worst things about deepfakes is how they are used to hurt individuals. Many women have found fake videos online that make it look like they are in adult content—when they never were. These videos are often shared without their permission, causing embarrassment, fear, and emotional pain.
Scamming and Tricking People
Scammers have started using deepfakes to steal money. They might fake the voice of your boss or a family member and ask you to send money urgently. Some workers have even been tricked into sending thousands of dollars because they thought a fake video call or email was real.
Spreading Lies in Politics
Fake videos have also been used to try to influence elections or damage reputations. A deepfake might show a politician saying something offensive or illegal, just to sway voters—even if it is completely false. This makes it hard to know what is real during important events like elections.
What is Being Done About It?
Technology Solutions to Detect Forgeries
Fortunately, intelligent individuals in technology are also developing tools that can detect deep fakes. These programs search for small hints—such as unusual blinking sequences or peculiar lighting—to determine whether a video is genuine or fraudulent. However, because deep fakes continually advance, it resembles a competition between those creating them and those attempting to prevent them.
Fresh Regulations and Guidelines
Certain governments are beginning to enact legislation to penalize individuals who utilize deep fakes to cause harm to others. This involves creating counterfeit videos to harass someone, disseminate falsehoods, or deceive individuals for financial gain. However, in numerous locations, the regulations are still lagging behind the technology.
The best defense right now? Awareness. If more people understand what deepfakes are and how to spot them, fewer people will fall for them. This means checking facts, not trusting everything you see on social media, and being cautious before you share videos or click suspicious links.
So… Can we still trust what we see?
It is getting harder, but not impossible. We just have to be smarter and more careful. In the past, we believed the phrase “seeing is believing.” But now, with deep fakes becoming more common, we need to ask more questions: Who posted this? Where did it come from? Could it be fake?
As technology grows more powerful, so does our need to think critically. Whether we are watching a video online or getting a strange phone call, taking a moment to pause and verify might save us from falling into a digital trap.
