Is that Tom Cruise? Many were confused upon seeing videos of the actor performing magic usng a coin, golfing, and others. While at first everyone thought this is Cruise, viewers soon realize that these are deepfake videos of the actor. TikTok users were both impressed and shocked because they look very realistic. These videos were posted under the handle @deeptomcruise, which is a new account on the social media platform.
Deepfake technology make use of a footage of Cruise to create these videos featuring computer-generated face of the famous actor. As of this writing, the account amassed 295K followers and counting with only 3 videos.
Deepfake Concerns
However, this TikTok account has raised the alarm of how deepfake technology can be used in a dangerous manner. In a series of tweets, SocialProof Security CEO Rachel Tobac said that deepfakes can "impact public trust, provide cover & plausible deniability for criminals/abusers caught on video or audio, and will be (and are) used to manipulate, humiliate, & hurt people."
2 years ago on stage I was asked “when will Deepfake video/audio impact trust & be believable in social engineering?” My response then was that we were 2 years away from undetectable Deepfakes. I wish my prediction then was wrong. We need synthetic media detection + labels ASAP. pic.twitter.com/yUUOTDepYY
— Rachel Tobac (@RachelTobac) February 26, 2021
She even urged those who are building manipulated/synthetic media detection technology to move faster so it could be easier to detect if the video is fake. She also shared Counter Social which detected @deeptomcruise videos as fake, saying that these tools should integrated in social media platforms. Tobac continued saying, "This issue will impact everyone, but will disproportionally affect women, people of color, and marginalized groups."
Meanwhile, photographer Lauren White wrote that deep fakes are getting scary as it take over TikTok. "Every public figure should just be on there with a verified account - even if they don’t want to make content - to make it easier to identify their fakes," she adds.
Why is Deepfake Technology Dangerous
Deepfakes are dubbed the most dangerous crime of the future as it can twist reality. This will also risk individuals whose faces will be used in videos that show hate crime and others. Videos are considered indisputable evidence. What's scary is deepfakes may appear as legitimate unless detected as fake. This technology is being promoted for good uses like animating faces of dead loved ones but still, it is possible that people with bad intentions will utilize this.
