How Can You Tell if a Video Is a Deepfake?

Creating a deepfake video has become as simple as editing text in a Word document. In other words, you can take anyone’s video and make them say whatever you want. You can modify the video using text, similar to word processing, easily adding new words, deleting unwanted ones, or re-editing a finished video.

Of course, this has greatly increased the number of fake content. How do you know if a video is a deepfake?

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Examine Facial Movements Carefully

A common warning sign is unnatural eye movements or a lack of eye movement, especially if there is no blinking. It is difficult to imitate blinking in a natural-looking way. Recreating eye movements accurately is also challenging because a person’s eyes normally follow the person they are talking to.

If a person’s face does not show the appropriate emotion that aligns with what they are saying, it is highly likely to be a deepfake. If you can detect face morphing orimage blending, these are also signs a video may be a deepfake.

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You should be cautious of videos that appear to be real but have the person’s face and nose directed in different directions.

Sound Quality Can Give You a Clue

Deepfake producers typically focus more on visuals than on audio, so you might notice a difference in sound or speech style. Pay attention to poor lip synchronization, robotic sounds, strange word pronunciation, digital background noise, and even missing audio. It’s important to be aware of these signs as they can indicate the presence of a deepfake.

Additionally, deepfake creators often rely on existing footage or recordings of the target person to generate realistic visuals, but the audio may not be as convincingly manipulated. This discrepancy between the quality of the visuals and the audio can be a useful clue in detecting deepfakes. Keep in mind thatadvancements in deepfake technologyare constantly being made, so it’s essential to stay vigilant and informed about the latest techniques and tools used in creating and detecting deepfakes.

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Examine the Physical Posture of the Person in the Video

If a person turns their head or moves from one frame to another in a jerky or disjointed manner, or if their movements appear distorted or unnatural, you should be suspicious. Another indication of a deepfake is when a person’s body shape doesn’t look natural or when the positioning of the head and body seems odd or inconsistent. Deepfake technology typically focuses on facial features rather than the entire body, making this one of the simpler anomalies to detect.

Someone can superimpose one person’s face onto another person’s body, making it appear as if the person is saying or doing things they never actually did. The technology has advanced to the point where it can generate highly convincing deepfakes that are difficult to distinguish from real footage.

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There may be inconsistencies between the content obtained by the people who produce deepfake videos using the body postures of different people. This gives you a serious clue that such a video could be a deepfake.

Beware of Nonsense Words

Nonsense words play a significant role in deepfake creation, as they provide a tool for altering or substituting original speech. These fabricated words might not exist in any language and are used strategically to manipulate the audio component of deepfakes. By blending real and nonsense words seamlessly, deepfake creators aim to produce convincing audio that mimics the speech patterns of the targeted individual. As a result, viewers may be tricked into believing that a person has said or expressed something they have not.

Recognizing and identifying nonsense words can be challenging, especially as deepfake technology advances. However, there are several strategies individuals can employ to protect themselves from falling victim to deepfake manipulation. First and foremost, it is essential to verify the credibility of the source sharing the content. Relying on reputable and trustworthy news outlets orverified social media accountscan help minimize the risk of encountering deepfakes. Paying attention to discrepancies, unusual speech patterns, or inconsistencies in the video or audio can help unveil potential deepfakes.

typewriter tying a letter with fake news written over it

Is Deepfake Dangerous?

Artificial intelligence is currently affecting numerous economic sectors and people’s daily lives. Deepfake is another excellent artificial intelligence product. However, it should not be regarded from only one perspective. Deepfake performs particularly effectively in the realms of medicine and health. You shouldn’t merely associate it with phony footage of politicians or celebrities. How a deep fake is used is critical, just like with anything else. As a result, a deepfake technology that introduces the beneficial qualities of artificial intelligence into our lives, rather than fake material, is undoubtedly very useful.

Deepfake technology can be fun to play around with, but its potential for harm is significant. Here’s what the future of deepfakes could bring.

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