We’re diving into a wild new age of online videos where spotting fake content is tougher than ever. The rise of AI-generated clips on social media is skyrocketing, making digital deception more rampant. Let’s talk about the red flags to look out for to tell what’s real and what’s a fake.
A tech expert recently raised the alarm about ultra-realistic AI video tools available on platforms like Sora 2, which scammers are taking advantage of to create a wave of deepfake fraud online.
According to DeepStrike, a cybersecurity firm, the explosion in deepfake videos is staggering, going from just half a million last year to over eight million this year! 🤯 Even more alarming, scam attempts have exploded by an incredible 3,000% in two short years.
As experts detail, telling the real from the fake is getting trickier. Humans are now only able to recognize high-quality deepfakes about one in four times. This means millions of folks could be getting duped without even being aware of it, as noted by the Mirror.
What began as a playful internet trend with deepfakes has rapidly evolved into a multi-billion-dollar scam industry. These fraudsters use AI for cloning every aspect — from voices to expressions— tricking people into losing money or sharing false info.
Can you imagine real-time deepfake video calls? It’s a nightmare scenario where scammers impersonate loved ones or bosses live, right on screen, projecting cloned voices and mannerisms. All thanks to tools from apps like Sora, which can whip up realistic videos in under sixty seconds!
Here’s some advice shared by the tech experts at Outplayed on spotting a deepfake:
- Blinking and Eyes: Look for subjects that blink less frequently or have robotic eye movements.
- Hands and Fingers: Distorted or merged fingers are a significant clue that it might be a deepfake.
- Lighting Errors: Watch out for shadows in odd positions or overly bright faces.
- Water and Reflections: Liquid that appears “too perfect” could give it away.
- Lip Sync Issues: If the lip movements don’t match the sounds—especially with “p” and “b” words—be suspicious.
- Smooth Skin: AI-generated faces can look really plastic, missing that natural texture.
- Glitchy Backgrounds: Anything that flickers or has weird distortions is a big warning sign.
- Fabric Movement: Clothes that move oddly or not at all in the breeze can indicate a deepfake.
- Scene Transitions: Awkward jumps in scenes pop up often with these edits.
- Strange Context: If people seem out of place or behave oddly, question it.
- Trust Your Gut: If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t!
An Outplayed expert mentioned that video quality has come a long way: “What used to require Hollywood weeks to create can now be made at home by anyone with a laptop. The new AI tools produce scams nearly indistinguishable from the real deal — that’s genuinely frightening for those who might fall.”
People are falling prey to scams through social media schemes, corporate mail fraud, and even romantic cons as old as time, playing on the idea of ‘seeing is believing.’ The specialist also remarked: “Video evidence is rarely doubted, which is why we’re seeing deepfakes on the rise. They evade logical thinking and dive straight into emotions.”
With over one million downloads, the Sora app allows users to produce short videos that are raising eyebrows. Some notorious clips of celebrities like Jake Paul and Michael Jackson raise serious questions about the line separating reality from exaggeration.
As some disrespectful deepfake clips reared their ugly heads, Sora had to step in and ban any videos featuring Martin Luther King Jr, highlighting the ethical problems that keep stacking up with this technology.
