Deepfakes are the latest buzz in the tech world and their popularity only increases as the US election approaches. Simply put, a deepfake is an image, sound, or video created using artificial intelligence to manipulate what a person says or does in the video, add fake audio, etc.
For example, someone could do a deepfake video of President Donal Trump saying he loves K Pop more than anything else.
Amidst all of this mess, a bigger issue is how we can spot the deepfakes floating around the internet. While some are fun and harmless movie parodies, some contain misinformation and fake news that unsuspecting users could easily believe.
Not to mention general users, it's even difficult for experts to label a particular medium as deepfake. Nonetheless, we need to be aware of the red flags that a potential deepfake video might include. Speaking of which, Microsoft released Spot The Deepfake quiz in partnership with UW Center for an Informed Public, Sensity, and USA Today.
Spot the Deepfake quiz features a series of ten questions that cover various aspects of deepfake technology and allow you to judge whether you can spot one. Eyes are one area where deepfake videos struggle; there might be a problem around the eyes in a deepfake video.
The quiz also covers the consequences that a fake political video can have if it ends up on social media. Also, if you think a particular medium is a deepfake, the first thing you should do is compare it with other credible sources.
Its main goal is to make American citizens knowledgeable ahead of the 2020 election, but anyone can take the opportunity to improve their knowledge of deepfakes. The quiz came alongside the announcement of Microsoft Video Authenticator, which is a new deepfake detection tool Microsoft has planned for the US election.
