If you’ve seen David Beckham speaking 9 different languages fluently, then you’re not the only one to be amazed!
If you think we’re raving about his multi-lingual skills, stop right there!
We’re here to tell you that it’s not real. The Englishman can speak numerous languages of football; there’s no doubt about that!
But the video was produced through deepfake technology to show as if Beckham had mastered those languages for a malaria awareness campaign.
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So, What is Deepfake?
Deepfake is an AI-based technology that uses machine learning and facial recognition tools to replicate any person’s face. The tools analyze the facial structure of the subject, imitate the pixels, and reproduce them according to the requirement.
From Dwayne Johnson’s young high school kid in Central Intelligence to Paul Walker’s face in Fast 7, we have several examples where deepfake technology was used.
What are the Dangers of Deepfakes?
The Deepfake technology assists content creators and movie producers differently. However, one thing that alarms everyone is its usage. What if the face of someone you know, someone close to you, is used in any video or image for fraudulent purposes?
The dangers of deepfakes are concerning as they pose a great threat to the online community in numerous ways, including:
Identity Theft
With the right tools and AI-learning models, someone can recreate your face. However, they can use it for stealing your identity, reaching out to the people you know, asking for money (a common scam nowadays), or something else.
Identity theft is a serious problem, with an estimated loss of more than $10 billion for this year. One of the major reasons behind this is AI-based deepfakes that manipulate a person’s information for illegitimate reasons.
Several internet providers offer robust security measures to mitigate identity theft. For example, Xfinity Internet plans come with xFi Gateway, which has advanced security features and WiFi 6E technology to ensure customers’ connectivity is secure and protected.
However, hackers may use social media content(if public) to replicate and steal identities with deepfakes.
Financial Frauds
With the identity stolen, hackers can impersonate anyone and commit financial fraud. From claiming insurance to accessing or transferring funds, with a deepfake identity, hackers can manipulate people or even businesses.
One case of this kind of business fraud was from the UK, where the hacker impersonated the boss of the employee and asked him to transfer money to a vendor. According to the employee, the voice was so genuine that he didn’t think twice and was trapped.
News Manipulation
Since deepfake is about stealing identity, it can be used to manipulate news. From pictures to videos of political personalities, we can come across anything. We already have videos of Kim Jong Un, Justin Trudeau, Donald Trump, and several other political leaders with voiceovers added to manipulate the audience.
Moreover, such content can also be used for spreading fake news. A deepfake of Donald Trump can ask for a protest, and Bill Gates can ask for donations or charity. We already know about a French woman who was catfished by an imposter using Brad Pitt’s deepfake.
Reputation Damage
When a hacker attempts to steal the identity of any person, he does so to manipulate the person’s online presence. However, if the hacker intends to take this far, they can use deepfake and damage the reputation.
Such instances are common when it comes to celebrity scandals where imposters use celebrity deepfakes to create scandalous images and videos, coupled with voiceovers, to damage the reputation of any brand.
News of celebrities opposing a brand or campaign that they were previously endorsing can emerge on social media at any time. This not only leaves the brand and the celebrity with reputation damage, but it also creates disbelief amongst their audience.
Financial Traps
From AI-generated videos of CEOs to deepfake voiceovers of customer support representatives, this technology can be used for financially trapping anyone. As per the demographics, aged 60+ people are 16% more likely to get scammed via fake tech support representatives and 45% more likely to be scammed through imposter calls.
Once the imposter has gained the trust of the victim, using deepfake, they execute the plan, scamming the victim in any way they want. From acquiring account information to transferring money to their accounts, the imposters can take advantage of the situation easily.
Clickbait Content
Content creators focus on acquiring clicks. However, using deepfake, it’s done without any hassle. Most imposters launch a scam platform or website where they post videos of celebrities endorsing it.
Once the people view it, they’re bound to take action in one way or another. As a result, the imposter can take control of the situation, steal information, or even empty the accounts. In doing so, they can just manipulate the user into taking some sort of action such as sharing false information.
Wrapping Up
Deepfake, if used ethically, can have tons of benefits. Therefore, there’s a dire need to implement strict policies to mitigate the adverse effects of its usage.
