Technology makes people’s lives much easier due to better access to information. However, with just one click on the button, it can also be a tool for cyberbullying and spreading fake news.
There are several fake news circulating on the internet about me conducting interviews with famous personalities on my shows “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” and “The Interviewer.” The deceitful stories include interviews with Dr. Willie Ong on a supposed cure he developed to treat cataracts and glaucoma; Dr. Alvin Francisco about a product that can heal hypertension and other blood pressure problems in just two weeks; former President and now Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Tony Tan Caktiong of Jollibee Foods Corporation, Senators Robin Padilla and Raffy Tulfo, beauty queen Michelle Dee, Megaworld Chairman Andrew Tan, and actress Max Collins on how to get wealthy through cryptocurrency auto trading program or Bitcoin.
There is also a fake report about an interview between me and Rico Hizon where I revealed that I had been investing in Bitcoin for three years. There is an online news that claims banks in the Philippines are suing me for my comments during a live broadcast regarding my supposed financial disclosure.
I have mentioned many times on “Fast Talk” that these articles are all fake — a big lie. Do not believe these malicious stories when you read them online. The scammers are using impostor websites that imitate the layout of established news channels and broadsheets for their fabricated claims. People behind the fake reports are out to entice individuals to invest their hard-earned money in a horrible scam. I am speaking about this because it is very alarming and extremely dangerous.
Check first the link to the website to confirm if it is legitimate. You can also verify the information by checking our official social media accounts to see if the articles are true and accurate. We must be more vigilant and discerning so as not to fall prey to misleading stories proliferated by scammers.
However, deepfakes are now the latest cyber threats to society as technology advances. The term was coined by a Reddit moderator under the same alias in 2017. Pornographic photos using face-swapping technology were posted on an online site which is now deleted.
Deepfakes are videos, images, or audio clips of people that are created using artificial intelligence (AI) to make them look realistic. They are digitally altered such as lip-syncing, face-swapping, or body doubling to mimic a person’s voice, facial and body structures. This is intended so an individual will appear to be acting or saying things that he or she has never done or said. An example is a fake video of former US President Barack Obama delivering a speech. For the untrained eyes and ears, the outcome can look realistic and convincing.
Deepfakes target celebrities, politicians, and organizations by spreading wrong information that can damage their reputation and career. Deepfakes can spread malicious propaganda and incite conflicts among nations when purposely done using deceptive videos and incendiary discourse from opposing state actors.
The technology can harass people through pornographic content disseminated online. Fake videos and images can be utilized to impersonate an innocent person for identity theft and financial fraud. Deepfakes can also be used for scams through videos featuring a friend or relative asking for a hefty sum due to an emergency.
Deepfakes have become more and more convincing and sophisticated because the technology is improving continuously. The danger it poses to society grows because the majority of people globally acquire their information from the internet. We must always keep a watchful eye to distinguish the real from the fake ones manipulated by AI.
Let us be critical and cautious of what we consume in media. Deepfakes pose a growing threat that can victimize anyone. Pay close attention to the facial features and lip movements. Some deepfakes use lip-syncing so check if the person’s mouth moves and matches the spoken words. Always do a fact-check on the sources of information. Look at the platform. Examine it thoroughly and fastidiously. See if other reliable sources are reporting similar content to find out if the information is indeed true.
Beware.