This podcast is about the rise of Deepfake technology, discussing the combination of technological advancements, ethical considerations, and the broader impact on digital media and society. If you want to learn more, read the articles linked in the references.
References:
Barney, Nick, and Ivy Wigmore. “What Is Deepfake Ai? A Definition from TechTarget.” WhatIs, TechTarget, 21 Mar. 2023, www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/deepfake.
Agostini, Dario De. “Why Deepfakes Will Make You Play Video Games Instead of Movies.” Medium, Predict, 3 May 2020, medium.com/predict/why-deepfakes-will-make-you-play-video-games-instead-of-movies-99ee5c2d7c9e.
Music:
moodmode. “High Tech.” Pixabay, 5 Dec. 2023.
Despite the fact that it seems that the film and gaming industry (and possibly other fields) could really benefit from the usage of deepfakes, the overall topic does make me uneasy. Recently, I learned that people online through deepfake technology create explicit 18+ content using videos and pictures from influencers, who have not consented to it. It is also alarming that there are little to no regulations in place. Moreover, I feel like with visual deepfakes we can still in most cases distinguish whether or not it is real, but with audios it can be tricky. Especially in those situations where people scam elderly people out of money by posing as a family member. More regulations should definitely be introduced for both audio and visual deepfakes.
A friend of mine, Law master student Ilse de Jong, wrote her thesis paper about this. As you say, there are surprisingly little regulations for deepfakes, and often would fall under authors rights, meaning that deceptive video’s are owned by the creator, and the person who is depicted has no say over what happens to the video. My friend found that it can in some cases be considered identity fraud, but whether they are protected by law also depends on what (public) position they have. I found that part a bit weird and I definitely think there should be better regulations for this specifically, as fake video’s can have quite the impact. On the creative benefits of deepfakes I partially agree. It is practical, and I can imagine new and creative uses of deepfake technology, but I am a little hesitant considering the already chaotic and sometimes disastrous creative market. It would be possible that actors would slowly disappear from the set at all, and I personally don’t think we should want that.