A lot of things have happened since deepfake made its debut on Reddit.
Since that time, tech evolves, and so did the tools to create deepfakes. As a result, manipulated videos are becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate.
For experts with trained eyes and tech enthusiasts, they may be better in spotting a deepfake video when they see one. But as the tools and the technology continue to evolve, there will be a time when even the most aware can fail.
This is why the state of California passed two bills:
The first, is by making it illegal for anyone to post manipulated videos of political figures, such as editing candidates' face with the intention to discredit them, within 60 days of an election. The second bill is giving people in California the rights to sue anyone who put their image into pornographic contents.
Deepfake technology to alter someone's face to create politicians in saying what they shouldn't, or creating revenge porn, is nothing new.
While some deepfakes can be made just for laughs or entertainment, others were created for misinformation and harassment. The AI-based technology is famous for being used to digitally produce or alter realistic looking video contents, and the results are becoming increasingly harder to distinguish from real videos.
With the technology becoming easily accessible, deepfakes can be made very easily.
Using apps for example, or even using consumer-grade equipment, almost anyone can create deepfakes.
The result is inevitable: the web becomes a place populated with pornographic films of high-profile celebrities, doctored politicians and faked high-profile executives.
According to Marc Berman, the California Assembly representative said in a press release, as first reported by Engadget:
"[That] makes deepfake technology a powerful and dangerous new tool in the arsenal of those who want to wage misinformation campaigns to confuse voters."
Berman introduced AB 730 ahead of the 2020 election amid growing concerns over how such false content can sway voters.
The American Civil Liberties Union however, highlighted how the bills won’t solve the issue of people weaponizing deepfake technology for political benefit. Instead, “it will only result in voter confusion, malicious litigation and repression of free speech."
But still, the move from the Californian government should be considered as the first steps for the state to combat malicious deepfakes.
Related: Virginia, One Of The Very First Places Where Deepfakes Are Illegal
