Video footage featuring Mark Zuckerberg discussing an unsavoury-sounding group has gone viral, created as part of an elaborate deepfake by artists and an advertising company and uploaded onto Instagram with broadcast chyrons.
Canny AI used a 2017 video of Mark Zuckerberg to manipulate it and give the impression of changes, then combined this video with actor’s voices and facial movements to complete its deepfake.
What is a deepfake?
Deepfakes employ artificial intelligence techniques such as neural networks to manipulate audiovisual, graphical or voice content. More specifically, deep learning – an advanced version of machine learning similar to how neurons in human brain create meaning from data they receive – forms the backbone of sophisticated deepfake technologies such as autoencoders and generative adversarial networks (GANs).
Deepfakes may be popular among social media users looking to age themselves or appear like Nicholas Cage memes; however, deepfakes present serious threats to digital and information security. Phishers use deepfakes to steal personal data or credentials belonging to individuals – this process is known as “phishing”. Additionally, deepfakes may also be used to spread misinformation or sway public opinion – for instance the one of Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy apparently encouraging soldiers not to fight Russia could have changed the outcome of the war significantly
People can detect deepfakes by looking out for signs like jerky movements, unnatural skin tones or unusually-shaped ears, hands or eyes; lip-syncing that doesn’t match what the words spoken in video indicate; as well as using search engines like Google to verify authenticity through news sites and fact-checking organizations. As deepfake technology continues to advance rapidly, detection techniques must adapt with it in order to be successful.
What is Spectre?
Spectre is an organization in the James Bond movies that operates as a criminal enterprise. First introduced in Ian Fleming’s novel Thunderball and subsequent movie versions, its presence was later immortalized by actor Donald Pleasence who played Number Two – known for his iconic bald head and scarred features that became staples for movie villains; his character even inspired Dr. Evil’s eyepatch wearing persona in Austin Powers movies!
The group is composed of agents from various criminal organizations such as Gestapo, SMERSH (Marshal Josip Broz Tito’s secret police), and Mafia bosses. Although its primary aim may be world domination, this has only ever been confirmed in one film; more often they prefer gathering intelligence to gain control of governments and businesses.
Spectre is a group headquartered in Monaco that uses a network of spies to steal and sell secrets. Additionally, they employ weapons such as Goblin grenades, spectrographs and chemical agents which can create bioweapons – these being known as Goblin Grenades or Scattographs which create bioweapons. Their name stands for Special Executive for Counterintelligence Terrorism Revenge and Extortion with an octopus being their symbol both on their flag as well as printed onto its bombs; Christoph Waltz plays Franz Oberhauser who leads this organization today in Daniel Craig films played by Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser who acts as the current leader of SPECTRE.
Why is Mark Zuckerberg in a deepfake?
Mark Zuckerberg is the CEO of a company with control over a digital society of 2 billion people and their intimate data, and as a wealthy, famous, and very public figure with an immense platform for disseminating misinformation, it stands to reason that deepfake artists would target him.
This video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was made using a computer program, merging his image with footage taken from a 2017 presentation at his Silicon Valley company’s headquarters. An actor provided audio recording that synced up perfectly with this modified video that was uploaded onto Instagram and has since been shared over 25.000 times.
Motherboard discovered it and quickly spread it, providing a test for Facebook’s policy against false news – something it recently came under scrutiny for when refusing to remove doctored video of Nancy Pelosi appearing drunk. Facebook stated it would instead down-rank it so users won’t see it as often in their news feeds while also adding a warning label identifying it as fake content.
Canny AI and Posters, the creators of the video, did not respond to our request for comment on it. This group has previously created other deepfake videos depicting celebrities and politicians such as Kim Kardashian and President Donald Trump.
What will Facebook do?
Facebook started as a dorm room startup at Harvard and has become the world’s biggest social network with 2.23 billion monthly active users, becoming one of the world’s most recognizable brands and even being profiled in Hollywood film like The Social Network which explored its foundation.
But the company has come under scrutiny due to privacy scandals, data breaches, disregarding people’s personal information and disturbing ad-tracking practices. Many users have lost trust in its platform and now visit as little as possible.
Zuckerberg has made numerous promises regarding the future of Facebook, including a virtual reality platform that would let users explore 3D environments and connect with friends in ways not possible in reality. Although he has yet to deliver these ideas, Zuckerberg remains dedicated to investing in its development.
He recently unveiled two projects designed to get more people online: 1) an Internet access system using high-speed wireless technology in urban areas as an alternative to installing fiber-optic cables (see “Facebook’s Super-Speed Wireless Internet System”); and 2) Aquila, a solar-powered drone shaped like an airliner’s wingspan which beams cellular service directly into remote parts of the world (see “Facebook’s Stratospheric Internet Drone”). Both initiatives are still at early stages so it will likely take some time before you see either project in action – see “Facebook’s Stratospheric Internet Drone”). Both projects will soon take effect – see “Facebook’s Super-Speed Wireless Internet System”