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Ryan Robertson Anchor, Investigative Reporter
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US Special Operations Command could use deepfakes soon

Ryan Robertson Anchor, Investigative Reporter
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The United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is responsible for overseeing America’s combined Special Operations Forces (SOF). SOCOM plans and carries out some of the nation’s most secretive missions.

According to recently amended federal contracting documents, SOCOM wants to add a few more tools to its toolbox; specifically, using the internet to conduct propaganda campaigns employing deepfake videos.

Deepfakes have been around for some time now. They are created by feeding a computer streams of information, and then programming it to project someone’s likeness in an image or video.

Deepfakes can be funny. Plenty of late-night talk shows have gotten mileage out of the technology. However, they can also be dangerous. The U.S. government often warns of the risks associated with deepfake videos, like the spread of misinformation and disinformation by bad actors. Now, SOCOM apparently wants to turn those risks into resources against enemies.

Through its Military Information Support Operations, SOCOM is looking for partners to build a system that allows SOF to more easily collect and disseminate information through social and local media outlets.

SOCOM is also asking for next generation deepfake technology to generate messages and influence operations via non-traditional channels. Lastly, using the ever-expanding Internet of Things, SOCOM wants to be able to hack into almost any device connected to the internet and see how well its potential propaganda campaigns are going.

The plans to add deepfakes to its repertoire come at a time of increased scrutiny on the technology, with many asking whether it does more harm than good.

In an interview with The Intercept, the head of the Brookings Institution’s Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative, Chris Meserole, said, “When it comes to disinformation, the Pentagon should not be fighting fire with fire. At a time when digital propaganda is on the rise globally, the U.S. should be doing everything it can to strengthen democracy by building support for shared notions of truth and reality.”

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THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND, OR SOCOM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING AMERICA’S COMBINED SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES. SOCOM PLANS AND CARRIES OUT SOME OF OUR NATION’S MOST SECRETIVE MISSIONS.

ACCORDING TO RECENTLY AMENDED FEDERAL CONTRACTING DOCUMENTS, SOCOM WANTS TO ADD A FEW MORE TOOLS TO IT’S TOOLBOX; SPECIFICALLY USING THE INTERNET TO CONDUCT PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS EMPLOYING DEEPFAKE VIDEOS.

DEEPFAKES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME NOW. THEY’RE CREATED BY FEEDING A COMPUTER STREAMS OF INFORMATION AND THEN PROGRAMMING IT TO PROJECT SOMEONE’S LIKENESS IN AN IMAGE OR VIDEO.

DEEPFAKES CAN BE FUNNY. PLENTY OF LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOWS HAVE GOTTEN MILEAGE OUT OF THE TECHNOLOGY. BUT THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS, TOO. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT OFTEN WARNS OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH DEEPFAKE VIDEOS, LIKE THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION BY BAD ACTORS.

NOW SOCOM APPARENTLY WANTS TO TURN THOSE RISKS INTO RESOURCES AGAINST OUR ENEMIES.

THROUGH ITS MILITARY INFORMATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS, SOCOM IS LOOKING FOR PARTNERS TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES TO MORE EASILY COLLECT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THROUGH SOCIAL AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS.

SOCOM IS ALSO ASKING FOR NEXT GENERATION DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY TO GENERATE MESSAGES AND INFLUENCE OPERATIONS VIA NON-TRADITIONAL CHANNELS. AND LASTLY, USING THE EVER-EXPANDING INTERNET OF THINGS, SOCOM WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HACK INTO ALMOST ANY DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AND SEE HOW WELL ITS POTENTIAL PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS ARE GOING.

THE PLANS TO ADD DEEPFAKES TO ITS REPERTOIRE COME AT A TIME OF INCREASED SCRUTINY ON THE TECHNOLOGY, AND WHETHER IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

CRITICS SAY WHILE THE WORLD IS DEALING WITH THE RISE IN DIGITAL PROPAGANDA, THE PENTAGON SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE, BECAUSE PUTTING OUT MORE FAKE VIDEOS JUST ERODES THE PUBLIC TRUST IN ANY VIDEO.

FOR MORE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING ABOUT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND THE MILITARY, CHECK OUT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.