Media Literacy

Deepfakes are altered or fabricated images, media and photographs.  Sometimes a different face is superimposed over another individual, implying that a public figure said or did something that they did not do.  At other times an image or even piece of media may be completely AI generated.  Some AI images are completely hallucinated, but seem to be real, news topics, media, or images.

 Deepfakes may be linked to the intention behind their creation and dissemination:

• used to entertain (such as when a popular figure is portrayed doing something completely out of character as a function of satire or hyperbole)
• result in misinformation (unintentionally deceives audiences because the false information is mistaken as factual)
• intentionally created to mislead audiences. This is often called disinformation.  A foreign power, for instance, may launch a disinformation campaign to sow discord in American society.  

As AI and technology develop, it will be increasingly difficult to tell the difference between fabricated media/images and those that are real.  The dangers of misinformation and disinformation will multiply.   

To learn more view the 3 minute video:  Shout Out UK. (May 26, 2020). "How to Understand Misinformation, Disinformation and Malinformation"