THE PERILS OF DEEPFAKE VIDEOS IN A DIGITAL AGE

The Perils of Deepfake Videos in a Digital Age

It was just another day online.

I was browsing YouTube when I stumbled upon a video titled "Elon Musk praises India for its technological rise." As a proud Indian and a tech enthusiast, my heart swelled with pride and  happiness. I watched it, felt inspired, and without a second thought, forwarded it to a few friends.

Only later did I discover—it was a deepfake.

Generated probably by a politically aligned group, the video was from a channel aptly titled "ELON TALKS"—a hub of artificially generated speeches by Elon Musk on demand.

I felt deceived. Worse, I felt responsible.

What Are Deepfakes?

Deepfakes are synthetic media—images, audio, or videos created or altered using artificial intelligence. With enough data, AI can replicate voices, facial expressions, and body movements to create highly realistic but entirely fake videos. In skilled hands, deepfakes can make anyone say anything.

They began as curiosities. But they’ve now become weapons of misinformation, used in politics, social engineering, character assassination, and even fraud.

Why We Fall for Them

Deepfakes play on two very human tendencies:

1. Trust in authority figures – When we see a world leader, a scientist, or a spiritual teacher speak, we’re wired to believe it's genuine.

2. Confirmation bias – We like to believe what aligns with our views. When a message flatters our beliefs or hopes, we rarely question its authenticity.

I, too, was a victim of both.

The Deeper Problem: Truth in Crisis

As deepfake technology improves, it’s becoming harder to tell real from fake.

We’ve moved from seeing is believing to seeing is suspect.

And in this twilight zone, the very notion of truth is under threat.

This is not just a tech issue. It’s a moral and societal one.

What Can We Do?

We may not control the tools, but we can control our reactions.

✅ Verify before you share – Use tools like InVID, reverse image search, and cross-check the source.

✅ Look for visual glitches – Flickering backgrounds, unnatural blinking, or mismatched lip-syncs are often red flags.

✅ Question emotional responses – If a video seems too good or too outrageous to be true, pause.

Final Reflection

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain

In an age of digital masks, let us become torchbearers of awareness. Let our clicks be cautious. Let our shares be mindful.

I learned it the hard way. May you not have to.

Have you ever been fooled by a deepfake? Share your story or thoughts in the comments. Let’s learn from one another.

(Blogpost created with ample help from ChatGPT. MY grateful thanks to ChatGPT)