Deepfakes and Media Integrity: Navigating the New Reality of Synthetic Content

Farouk, Mohamed Adel; Fahmi, Bassant Mourad

doi:10.21608/jmis.2024.275298.1027

Deepfakes and Media Integrity: Navigating the New Reality of Synthetic Content

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

¹ Criminal Treatment Department, Crime Research Division, National Center for Social and Criminological Research

² RTV department, Faculty of Mass Communication - Cairo University

10.21608/jmis.2024.275298.1027

Abstract

This scholarly article delves into the consequences that deepfake technologies have on media integrity, highlighting how these advanced technological processes enable the creation of highly convincing fake content that has the potential to skew public perception. The paper thoroughly investigates the ambiguous role of deepfakes, which are capable of generating both harmless and harmful misinformation, and the significant challenges they pose in verifying the authenticity of media content. Furthermore, this study evaluates the effectiveness of current methods used to detect deepfakes, alongside their limitations, and delves into the broader ethical, legal, and social dilemmas provoked by the emergence of deepfake technology. It advocates for a comprehensive strategy that integrates regulatory policies, technological innovation, and the enhancement of societal awareness to counter the threats posed by deepfakes. The paper concludes by calling for a unified effort to protect media reliability in the face of the evolving landscape of synthetic media technologies, underscoring the importance of maintaining the public's trust in media sources.

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