How do deepfake videos trick us into believing false images?

Deepfake videos make it look like someone is saying or doing something they never actually did, just like a clever costume party trick!

Imagine you have a favorite toy that can talk and move on its own, but only when you press a button. Now imagine someone takes lots of pictures of that toy from all angles, and then uses a special kind of computer magic to put those pictures together in a movie. That’s sort of what happens with deepfake videos.

How it works

Deepfake videos use computer programs that learn how people move and speak by looking at many videos of them. Once they know how someone moves or talks, the program can make it look like that person is saying or doing something completely new, even if they never did it before!

It's like when you draw a picture of your friend talking to a dinosaur, but then use special software to make it look like your friend really is talking to a dinosaur. That’s how deepfake videos trick us into believing false images!

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Examples

  1. A deepfake video makes a celebrity say something they never said, like claiming they support a weird new product.
  2. Your friend's face is put on a cartoon character in a video, it looks real but it’s all fake.
  3. A politician gives a speech, but the video shows them saying things they didn’t actually say.

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