Fighting Fake News – Deepfakes: on the hunt for digital fakes

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The war in Ukraine and the presidential elections – also state security is currently warning against disinformation. We are surrounded by manipulation as a dangerous weapon of mind.

“Let’s start with a little mind game: When I ask people how to remove an unwanted person from a digital photo, they usually give me a few seconds from a well-known photo software or app. When I ask someone how they want to check whether they are using has to do with a manipulated image, then it is silent,” explains Martin Boyer, Senior Research Engineer at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) in the “Krone” interview.

This thought experiment alone shows the current problem and imbalance: It is easier to forge a digital document than to verify its authenticity. This doesn’t just apply to photos. Boyer and colleagues are developing a software system that bundles evidence of falsified text, images, audio signals and videos and estimates the veracity of a message.

The AIT’s “defalsif-AI” project is based on artificial intelligence (AI) and, as part of the KIRAS homeland security research program, is the red-white-red spearhead in the fight against disinformation.

Hollywood and despots as grateful buyers
And software development is needed more than ever. Because the AI-based technologies are getting more and more advanced. “Manipulation of videos, photos and texts is no longer a matter for secret services. In theory, everyone has the tool for this on their computer and instructions can be found on the internet,” says Boyer. Using apps, any average Austrian can transform into the muscular “Thor” on their smartphone in just seconds.

A nice gimmick for the WhatsApp group. It becomes dangerous when professionals investigate what is feasible. In the best case scenario, Will Smith will then take the lead role in The Matrix. It is less innocent when a fake president of Ukraine calls on his compatriots to lay down their arms.

Fake news leads to destabilization of society
The spread of disinformation is a serious threat. Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of the Directorate of the State Security and Intelligence (DNS), also warns the “Krone”: “The focus here is mainly on the upcoming federal presidential elections.” Fake news influences decisions, leads to uncertainty and public discontent and to destabilize society and democracy.

In times of crisis, this danger has reached a new negative peak and state organizations, the media and every citizen face major challenges.

Source: Krone

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