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"If you were to ask me what the key risk in the 2020 election is, I would say it's not deepfakes," said Kathryn Harrison, the founder and CEO of the DeepTrust Alliance, a coalition fighting deepfakes and other kinds of digital disinformation (that is: intentional, malicious false info). "It's actually going to be a true video that will pop up in late October that we won't be able to prove [whether] it's true or false."
This is the bigger, more devious threat, what's known as the Liar's Dividend. The term, popular in deepfake-research circles, means the mere existence of deepfakes gives more credibility to denials. Essentially, deepfakes make it easier for candidates caught on tape to convince voters of their innocence -- even if they're guilty -- because people have learned they can't believe their eyes anymore.
[...] "I don't think anyone's going to see a piece of video content, real or fake, and suddenly change their vote on Election Day," said Clint Watts, distinguished research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute who testified to Congress last year about deepfakes and national security. "Trying to convince people Joe Biden touches people too much or whatever….I don't see how people's opinions can be really shaped in this media environment with that."
What worries him more are deepfakes that undermine election integrity -- like an authoritative figure reporting misinformation about turnout, polling site disruptions or voting machines changing your ballot.
Another worry: Deepfakes could destabilize the vote on US soil by causing havoc at a US outpost abroad. Imagine a fake that triggers an attack like the one on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012, which became a political flashpoint in the US. State actors like China or Russia, for example, could find an effective strategy in forged videos that endanger US soldiers or US diplomats, particularly in war-torn regions or countries ruled by a dictator, where populations are already struggling to separate truth from propaganda and rumor.
[...] No matter what form an election deepfake tries to take, the time to be on highest alert is right before you cast your vote.
"If it happens 48 hours out of the Election Day," Watts said, "we may not have a chance to fix it."
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday May 06 2020, @12:57AM (5 children)
And NO BAG LIMIT. You want less corruption? This is how you get less corruption. Reward them for going after each other rather than just taking their place at the trough. Cultures of corruption work because few rat anyone out. When big fish start going after each other's misdeeds in public and in court, that creates the climate for a sea change to a less corrupt system as everyone exposes each others' criminal misdeeds in a spectacular nuclear exchange. That's why I just don't care about the optics. We're way beyond that. Look at you. There's some serious shit that looks attractive, because of how corrupt things are.
My take is that if things really are that bad, we need a house cleaning. Not a return to the status quo.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday May 06 2020, @01:01AM (4 children)
Well, that is something we 100% agree on.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 06 2020, @04:14PM (1 child)
Starting to think most of the conservative users around here are Russian agents. Seems a little far fetched, but the alternative is that they're reaaaaallly fucking dumb. Like unimaginably dumb.
Could that simply be the Fox News effect at work? Like, do their brains literally auto-filter out negative Trump press because "fake news!" or something?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 07 2020, @04:19AM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 06 2020, @04:27PM (1 child)
Nothing says Russian shill like "well, in that case you should all kill each other" because while the sentiment "clean house of all corruption" sounds nice it is effectively just a way to kick of civil war.
Khallow's posts have taken on a new angle, and I for one do not trust it. Most likely he projections show Trump getting his ass handed to him even by Biden so the narrative is shifting to continue the division and chaos in the US.
Don't worry, I am totally comfortable with the possibility of Hanlon's razor.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday May 07 2020, @04:39AM
All Soylentils can read my words and decide for themselves. Meanwhile your posts can't be so read because you post anonymously. Let's remember that fundamental dishonesty in what follows.
Notice that nobody other than you, Mr AC said "well, in that case you should all kill each other". And is it coincidence that I get accused of being a Russian shill after I start criticizing some blatant Russian propaganda [soylentnews.org] on the Crimea?
And who here really believes that civil war could be kicked off by political foes taking out the most corruption on each side? Should I turn that same, peculiarly broken reasoning to Trump's impeachment? Are the House Democrats risking civil war by accusing Trump of crimes? Should they tread lightly, letting him get away with whatever because conflict is to be avoided at all costs?