What to do about deepfakes

Deepfakes have a legitimate potential to create commercial opportunities, distinguishing them from other forms of deception such as fake reviews or opinion spam that only produce adverse effects.

“Moreover, deepfakes have a legitimate potential to create commercial opportunities, distinguishing them further from other forms of deception such as fake reviews or opinion spam that only produce adverse effects (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Kietzmann et al., 2020; Malbon, 2013).”

In comparison to traditional deceptions, the scope of threats posed by deepfakes is significantly greater, as businesses can be harmed in many ways.

“However, our study demonstrates that in comparison to traditional deceptions, the scope of threats posed by deepfakes is significantly greater, as businesses can be harmed in many ways (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Kietzmann et al., 2020; Zakrzewski, 2019).”

The dubbing and re-voicing industry is at risk of becoming extinct due to the advancing technological ability to change languages and lips accordingly.

“For instance, the dubbing and re-voicing industry, which previously translated films to ensure words in another language matched the actor's original lip movements, is at risk of becoming extinct due to the advancing technological ability to change languages and lips accordingly (Giansiracusa, 2021; Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Zakrzewski, 2019).”

Misinformation can result in negative financial consequences and diminished brand perceptions.

“Thus, misinformation can result in negative financial consequences and diminished brand perceptions (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Wagner & Blewer, 2019; Zakrzewski, 2019).”

Technology-based protections against deepfake deceptions come with specific limitations owing to the fast pace of improvement in generating synthetic media.

“However, it must be noted that these technology-based protections against deepfake deceptions come with specific limitations owing to the fast pace of improvement in generating synthetic media (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Ramadhani & Munir, 2020).”

Deepfakes may assist in the removal of language barriers, allowing for the creation of multilingual marketing campaigns by dubbing videos in different languages and artificially matching lip movements and facial expressions.

“Furthermore, deepfakes may assist in the removal of language barriers, allowing for the creation of multilingual marketing campaigns by dubbing videos in different languages and artificially matching lip movements and facial expressions accordingly (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Kietzmann et al., 2020).”

For businesses, opportunities include new forms of marketing campaigns, including virtual brand ambassadors, developing cost-effective and accessible learning environments and content, designing and deploying AI-based solutions to detect and counter deepfakes, and developing new offerings and business models supported by deepfakes.

“For businesses, opportunities include new forms of marketing campaigns, including virtual brand ambassadors, developing cost-effective and accessible learning environments and content, designing and deploying AI-based solutions to detect and counter deepfakes, and, ultimately, developing new offerings and business models supported by deepfakes (Farish, 2020; Johnson & Diak”

The problem is not only that deepfake technology is improving at a very fast pace; it is that the social processes through which we collectively acquire knowledge and determine whether something is genuine or deceptive are under threat and that the very definition of reality is a critical concern.

“The problem is not only that deepfake technology is improving at a very fast pace (Johnson & Diakopoulos, 2021; Schwartz, 2018); it is that the social processes through which we collectively acquire knowledge and determine whether something is genuine or deceptive are under threat and that the very definition of reality is a critical concern (Hwang et al., 2021; Schwartz, 2018).”