What is deepfake?

A deepfake is when someone uses special computer tricks to make a video look like a real person is saying or doing something they never actually did.

Imagine you have a favorite toy that can change its face, like a robot with a screen on its head. A deepfake works kind of like that toy: it takes a picture or video of someone, and then changes their face or voice so it looks like they’re saying something new.

Think about learning to draw a cat by copying a picture, that’s easy. But now imagine you want the cat to say “Hello” instead of just sitting there. A deepfake uses smart computer programs, called neural networks, to learn how a person's face moves when they talk. Then it copies those movements onto another video, making it look like the person is saying new words.

You can use deepfakes for fun, like making your favorite cartoon character say something silly. Or you can use them in movies or videos to make it look like someone else is in a scene. It's like having a super clever robot that can trick your eyes!