How Worried Should You Be About Those Tom Cruise Deepfakes?

Are the TikTok deepfake videos of Tom Cruise doing magic and playing golf a threat to global democracy? Not exactly. “[T]he reality is that they took a lot of time, technical expertise, and the skilled performance of a real actor,” reports VICE News. “Rather than predicting a dark future of disinformation for the masses, they’re simply another example of what can…

A Deepfake Queen Delivered an Alternative Christmas Speech to Warn about Misinformation

“A fake Queen Elizabeth danced across TV screens on Christmas as part of a ‘deepfake’ speech aired by a British broadcaster,” reports CNN:
The broadcaster said the video was supposed to offer “a stark warning about the advanced technology that is enabling the proliferation of misinformation and fake news in a digital age.” Channel 4 annually accompanies the Queen’s traditional speech with…

The Eerie AI World of Deepfake Music

Artificial intelligence is being used to create new songs seemingly performed by Frank Sinatra and other dead stars. ‘Deepfakes’ are cute tricks — but they could change pop for ever. From a report: “It’s Christmas time! It’s hot tub time!” sings Frank Sinatra. At least, it sounds like him. With an easy swing, cheery bonhomie, and understated brass and string flourishes,…

South Park Creators Have New Political Satire Series With AI-Generated Deepfakes

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Register: Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known for their cartoon South Park, have created a new comedy deepfake series called Sassy Justice. The star of the show, Fred Sassy, is a local news reporter from Cheyenne, Wyoming, with the face of US President Donald Trump. Other notable characters include, erm, “Dialysis King”…

Bot Generated Fake Nudes of Over 100,000 Women Without Their Knowledge, Says Report

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Forbes: Around 104,852 women had their photos uploaded to a bot, on the WhatsApp-like text messaging app Telegram, which were then used to generate computer-generated fake nudes of them without their knowledge or consent, researchers revealed on Tuesday. These so-called “deepfake” images were created by an ecosystem of bots on the messaging app Telegram…

Singapore Becomes First Country To Use Facial Verification For a National ID Service

“Singapore will be the first country in the world to use facial verification in its national identity scheme,” reports the BBC: The biometric check will give Singaporeans secure access to both private and government services. The government’s technology agency says it will be “fundamental” to the country’s digital economy. It has been trialled with a bank and is now being rolled…

Microsoft Releases Deepfake Detection Tool Ahead of Election

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Microsoft is releasing new technology to fight “deepfakes” that can be used to spread false information ahead of the U.S. election. “Microsoft Video Authenticator” analyzes videos and photos and provides a score indicating the chance that they’re manipulated, the company said. Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to alter videos or audio to make someone…

AI-Generated Text Is the Scariest Deepfake of All

An anonymous reader shares a report: In the future, deepfake videos and audiofakes may well be used to create distinct, sensational moments that commandeer a press cycle, or to distract from some other, more organic scandal. But undetectable textfakes — masked as regular chatter on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and the like — have the potential to be far more subtle, far…

Deepfake Used To Attack Activist Couple Shows New Disinformation Frontier

An anonymous reader shares a report: Oliver Taylor, a student at England’s University of Birmingham, is a twenty-something with brown eyes, light stubble, and a slightly stiff smile. Online profiles describe him as a coffee lover and politics junkie who was raised in a traditional Jewish home. His half dozen freelance editorials and blog posts reveal an active interest in anti-Semitism…