Deepfake Prevention Basics
Learn to detect AI-generated fake videos and protect yourself from deepfake manipulation.
Understanding Deepfakes
Deepfakes are AI-generated synthetic media where a person's likeness is convincingly replaced. Technology is increasingly accessible, making detection critical for avoiding manipulation and fraud.
Types of Deepfakes
Face Swaps
Replacing one person's face with another in video. Used for impersonation, fake celebrity endorsements, and revenge porn.
Lip Sync Manipulation
Making someone appear to say words they never said. Used for fake political statements and defamation.
Voice Synthesis
Cloning voice to match manipulated video. Creates fully convincing fake statements.
Full Body Puppetry
Controlling entire body movements. Used for creating fake videos from scratch.
Malicious Uses
- Financial fraud - CEO asking employees to wire money
- Political manipulation - fake speeches or statements
- Reputation damage - creating compromising fake videos
- Blackmail and extortion using fabricated content
- Fake celebrity endorsements for scams
- Revenge porn and non-consensual intimate images
- Evidence fabrication for legal disputes
Detecting Deepfakes
Unnatural Blinking
Too frequent, infrequent, or irregular blinking patterns. Real people blink naturally every 2-10 seconds.
Face-Hair Boundary
Blurry or inconsistent edges where face meets hair. Color bleeding or warping at boundaries.
Lighting Inconsistencies
Face lighting doesn't match scene lighting. Shadows fall wrong. Reflections don't match.
Lip Sync Issues
Mouth movements don't perfectly match words. Unnatural jaw motion. Teeth appearance changes.
Skin Texture
Overly smooth, waxy appearance. Loss of fine details like pores, wrinkles. Unnatural skin tone.
Background Artifacts
Warping or glitching in background. Objects appear/disappear. Background focus changes oddly.
Advanced Detection Techniques
Frame-by-Frame Analysis
Slow video to 0.25x speed. Watch for micro-glitches, inconsistencies that flash briefly.
Audio-Video Sync
Check if voice quality matches video quality. Professional video with poor audio suspicious.
Metadata Examination
Check file properties for creation date, editing software. Missing metadata red flag.
Context Verification
Does setting, clothing, context make sense? Check against known timeline of person.
Protection Strategies
Limit High-Quality Images/Videos
More training data makes better deepfakes. Reduce publicly available clear facial images.
Watermark Personal Content
Add visible watermarks to photos/videos. Makes unauthorized use more detectable.
Establish Verification Methods
Code words, security questions, callback procedures for video requests.
Control Image Rights
Copyright your photos. Pursue takedowns of unauthorized use. Document original sources.
If You're Targeted by Deepfakes
Document Everything
Screenshot, save copies, record URLs. Evidence needed for legal action and takedowns.
Report to Platform
Most platforms prohibit deepfakes. Use reporting tools. Cite policies against manipulated media.
Public Statement
Denounce fake content publicly. Establish timeline proving it's false. Point to inconsistencies.
Legal Action
Consult attorney for defamation, copyright, or revenge porn laws. Many states have deepfake-specific laws.
Contact Authorities
FBI for federal crimes, local police for harassment, state attorney general for violations of state laws.
Deepfake Detection Tools
- Microsoft Video Authenticator - analyzes media for manipulation
- Deepware Scanner - free deepfake detection
- Sensity - monitors internet for deepfakes of public figures
- Intel FakeCatcher - real-time deepfake detector
- WeVerify plugin - browser extension for media verification
Critical Thinking
- Question extraordinary claims or out-of-character statements
- Verify through multiple independent sources
- Check if original source is reputable
- Look for corroborating evidence from different angles/times
- Consider if timing seems suspicious or convenient
- Ask who benefits from this content being spread