Deepfakes and Synthetic Media: Seeing Is No Longer Believing

For most of human history, seeing was believing. A photograph, a recording, or a video was treated as proof that something happened. Artificial intelligence has ended that era. Today, software can generate video of real people saying things they never said, images of events that never occurred, and recordings of voices that were never spoken. This technology is called synthetic media, and its most well-known form is the deepfake.

The technology works by training AI on thousands of examples of a person's face, voice, or mannerisms, then using that training to generate new content that looks and sounds authentic. The results can be remarkably convincing. In January 2024, voters in New Hampshire received a robocall featuring a voice that sounded exactly like President Joe Biden, telling them not to vote in the primary. The call was later revealed to be AI-generated. The same year, a manipulated video of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared online, showing him appearing to urge Ukrainian soldiers to surrender. These examples show that synthetic media is no longer a science fiction threat. It is a real tool being used in real elections and real conflicts.

Why is this dangerous for democracy? A functioning democracy depends on a shared reality — on citizens who can agree, at minimum, about what is actually happening. Deepfakes attack that foundation. They lower the cost of lying at scale: a single person with a computer can now produce convincing falsehoods that once would have required a film studio. They also create confusion in a second, sneaker way. Even when a video is proven fake, the damage is done — and the mere existence of deepfake technology gives dishonest actors a ready-made excuse. A politician caught on tape saying something damaging can simply claim, 'That's a deepfake.' When seeing is no longer believing, the truth itself becomes harder to defend.

So what can citizens do? The first defense is skepticism with a method, not cynicism. Before sharing a shocking video, check the source. Who published it? Do established, trustworthy news organizations confirm it happened? Search for the video in question — if it is real, reliable sources will be covering it. Look for visual tells, though these are becoming less reliable as the technology improves. Above all, slow down. The most effective tool against synthetic media is the pause between seeing something outrageous and sharing it.

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