ELI5: deepfake

// eli5

What is a deepfake?

A deepfake is a fake video or picture of someone that looks real but was actually made by a computer [2]. It's like when someone uses special art tools to make it look like a famous person did something they never actually did [2].

How does the computer make it?

The computer uses a special type of learning called "deep learning" to study lots of real videos of a person, then creates a fake video that looks just like them [2]. It's like if you watched someone's face so many times that you could draw exactly how they move and talk [2].

Why is it a problem?

Badly made deepfakes can trick people into believing false things, especially during elections or when someone wants to hurt another person's reputation [3]. People might see a fake video of a leader saying something mean and believe it really happened [3].

How can we stay safe?

We should be careful about videos we see online and not always believe them right away [3]. If something seems shocking or weird, it might be fake, so we should check if it came from a trusted source [3].