GWEN BAUMGARDNER, REPORTER: WITH A BIT OF TECHNOLOGY, ANYONE CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING. WALK THE MOON? BEEN THERE. WIN A GRAMMY? DONE THAT. THESE DOCTORED PHOTOS ARE CALLED DEEP FAKES.  

IT’S NOT JUST FUN AND GAMES AND THEY’RE A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY.   

LET ME EXPLAIN.  

DEEP FAKES ARE MANIPULATED PHOTOS, VIDEOS, AND AUDIO RECORDINGS.  

USING A FORM OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CALLED DEEP LEARNING,  ANYONE CAN MAKE FAKE CONTENT. HENCE THE NAME.  

WHAT MAKES THEM DANGEROUS IS HOW CONVINCING THEY CAN BE.  

TAKE THIS VIDEO OF TOM CRUISE DOING MAGIC. WELL, THE REAL MAGIC IS THAT IT’S NOT HIM AT ALL. 

DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY CAN MAKE ANYONE SAY OR DO THINGS THEY HAVEN’T ACTUALLY SAID OR DONE. SEE THE ISSUE? NOW IMAGINE WHEN POLITICS ARE INVOLVED.  

THIS FOOTAGE OF NANCY PELOSI SLURRING HER WORDS HAD ALREADY GONE VIRAL BEFORE IT WAS DISPROVED. PRESIDENTS BIDEN AND TRUMP HAVE ALSO BEEN TARGETED PROMPTING CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS. 

CLINT WATTS: ‘’FALSE VIDEO, ONCE CONSUMED AND BELIEVED, CAN BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REFUTE AND COUNTER.’’ 

GWEN BAUMGARDNER: INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES SAY THESE DIGITAL FORGERIES CAN SPREAD FALSE INFORMATION, INFLUENCE ELECTIONS, AND SPARK VIOLENCE.  

LET’S NOT FORGET ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY. COMPUTER SOFTWARE, EVEN PHONE APPS, CAN ENABLE ANYONE TO ALTER REALITY AND EASILY SHARE IT.  THAT’S WHY SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK, HAVE VOWED TO MONITOR DEEP FAKES, AND BAN THOSE DEEMED HARMFUL.  

WHILE YOU’RE WAITING FOR THEIR DETECTION SOFTWARE TO KICK IN, THERE ARE SOME EXTRA WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMS AND DECEPTION. 

EXPERTS SAY UNNATURAL EYE OR BODY MOVEMENT IS OFTEN AN INDICATOR SOMETHING HAS BEEN ALTERED. AS WELL AS ANY BLURRING ESPECIALLY IN VIDEOS.  

AND REMEMBER, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT’S ONLINE SEEING ISN’T ALWAYS BELIEVING.  

THERE YOU HAVE IT. THE DETAILS OF DEEP FAKE.  

UNDERSTAND IT NOW? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.