Prepare, Don’t Panic:
Synthetic Media and Deepfakes

This project focuses around the emerging and potential malicious uses of so-called “deepfakes” and other forms of AI-generated “synthetic media” and how we push back to defend evidence, the truth and freedom of expression from a global, human rights-led perspective. This work is embedded in a broader initiative focused on proactive approaches to protecting and upholding marginal voices and human rights as emerging technologies such as AI intersect with the pressures of disinformation, media manipulation, and rising authoritarianism. Read more about successes to date and our coming work on emerging threats work here.

For an overview of what deepfakes are, the threats and potential solutions, you can read our Backgrounder on Deepfakes.

Our work launched in 2018 with the first multi-disciplinary convening around deepfakes preparedness: Check out the report based from the “Mal-uses of AI-generated Synthetic Media and Deepfakes: Pragmatic Solutions Discovery Convening”. For further reports from our series of global meetings please see below.

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Twelve things we can do now to prepare for deepfakes

De-escalate rhetoric

and recognize that this is an evolution, not a rupture of existing problems – and that our words create many of the harms we fear.

Name and address existing harms

from gender-based violence and cyber bullying.

Inclusion and human rights

Demand responses reflect, and be shaped by, a global and inclusive approach, as well as by a shared human rights vision.

Global threat models

Identify threat models and desired solutions from a global perspective.

Building on existing expertise

Promote cross-disciplinary and multiple solution approaches, building on existing expertise in misinformation, fact-checking, and OSINT.

Connective tissue

Empower key frontline actors like media and civil liberties groups to better understand the threat and connect to other stakeholders/experts.

Coordination

Identify appropriate coordination mechanisms between civil society, media, and technology platforms around the use of synthetic media.

Research

Support research into how to communicate ‘invisible-to-the-eye’ video manipulation and simulation to the public.

Platform and tool-maker responsibility

Determine what we want and don’t want from platforms and companies commercializing tools or acting as channels for distribution, including in terms of authentication tools, manipulation detection tools, and content moderation based on what platforms find.

Equity in detection access

Prioritize global equity in access to detection systems and advocate that investment in detection matches investment in synthetic media creation approaches.

Shape debate on infrastructure choices

and understand the pros and cons of who globally will be included, excluded, censored, silenced, and empowered by the choices we make on authenticity or content moderation, and the infrastructure we build for this.

Promote ethical standards

on usage in political and civil society campaigning.

Featured reports and blogs

Reports from the only Global South-focused and global meetings on threats and solution prioritization

Intervening with research and advocacy to ensure emerging authenticity infrastructure reflects key global dilemmas

What’s needed for equitable detection access?

Op-eds on key issues

Authoritarian Regimes Could Exploit Cries of ‘Deepfake’
Deepfakes will challenge public trust in what’s real. Here’s how to defuse them.

Resources & analysis

WIRED: HOW DEEPFAKE FEARS UNDERMINE TRUE VIDEO

OP-ED

In WIRED, why increasing conspiratorial thinking on videos (“it’s a deepfake”, it’s manipulated) compromises critical truthful videos showing realities in countries like Myanmar. We need different responses to engage with video/photo manipulation, based on what WITNESS heard in global research.

DEEPFAKES PREPARE NOW: REPORT FROM 1st SOUTHEAST ASIA EXPERT MEETING

REPORT

Participants in WITNESS’s expert convening for South and Southeast Asia indicated key threats they were concerned about and key solutions they wanted for shallowfakes and deepfakes.

MANIPULATED MEDIA DETECTION: PRIORITIES

VIDEO

Talk at the Truth and Trust Online conference explains WITNESS priorities in ensuring manipulated media responses are driven by global, human rights -led needs

#TRACINGTRUST VIDEO SERIES

VIDEO

A three part video series on content authenticity infrastructure: What it is, why we need it, and who could be left out.

BACKGROUNDER: DEEPFAKES IN 2021

BLOG POST

An overview of the deepfakes and synthetic media landscape in 2021.

SOUTH AFRICA DEEPFAKES WORKSHOP: FULL REPORT

REPORT

Proceedings of a one-day event focused on increasing understanding of deepfakes in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as prioritizing solutions

HOW EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES CAN FIGHT DISINFO

VIDEO

Sam Gregory is a panelist in the #DefendDemocracy Virtual Series, “What you see is what you trust?”

TWITTER RELEASED A DRAFT POLICY ON SYNTHETIC MEDIA. HERE'S WHAT STOOD OUT TO ACTIVISTS.

BLOG POST

Social media platforms should signal media manipulations, strengthen OSINT capacity, and avoid tailoring policies too narrowly to the US, said the groups we consulted.

TO FIGHT DEEPFAKES BUILD MEDIA LITERACY, SAY AFRICAN ACTIVISTS

BLOG POST

In a workshop in Pretoria, movement organizers told WITNESS that building critical thinking around media will be an integral part of responding to synthetic video

PREPARING FOR DEEPFAKES AGAINST JOURNALISM

CASE STUDY

The European Broadcasting Union published its annual report on news trends, which includes our case study on deepfakes and journalism. The case study also includes a short video (requires login for viewing).