Fourth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

In 2017, a large number of internet users were shocked to discover that using deep learning technology, realistically looking videos depicting an arbitrary person performing arbitrary actions can be created easily using nothing but a modern personal computer. In 2018, it quickly became clear that such videos could fool all but the most alert observers. Since most people tend to trust video recordings over most other media, DeepFakes represent a dangerous new tool for manipulating public opinion and thus undermining democracy. In this study, we give an accessible introduction to the technological details that make DeepFakes possible. In the second part, we discuss technological countermeasures as well as the wider implications of this technology and its significance for public opinion in democratic countries.