Deepfakes: From Tech Curiosity to Realistic Threat – Experts Explain How to Spot Them
Cybersecurity experts warn that advances in AI have made deepfakes highly convincing, urging caution and awareness to avoid falling for scams.
Deepfakes are no longer just a curiosity in the tech world, as they were a few years ago. Rapid developments in artificial intelligence tools now allow highly realistic cloning of a person's voice and face, creating content that can deceive even experienced users.
In the Latvian Radio program "Digital Breakfast," Mārtiņš Vecstaudžs, a cybersecurity expert from CERT.lv, and Madars Balodis, director of the private intelligence agency Rossad, discussed this topic. They emphasized that anyone can now encounter deepfakes and it is crucial to know how to recognize them to avoid being tricked.
The experts highlighted several techniques for detecting deepfakes. For instance, attention should be paid to nuances such as facial expressions, eye movements, shadow consistency, and audio quality. Deepfakes often contain subtle inconsistencies that may be noticeable to the human eye, such as unnatural blinking frequency or imprecise lip-sync.
Furthermore, Vecstaudžs and Balodis advised being skeptical of surprising or emotionally charged videos, especially if they come from untrustworthy sources. If a deepfake is suspected, it is recommended to verify the information through other sources and use technical tools capable of detecting manipulations.
This issue is becoming increasingly relevant as deepfakes are used not only for entertainment but also for fraud, disinformation, and reputation damage. Cybersecurity experts stress that users must remain vigilant and develop critical thinking to avoid falling into these traps.
