- Pre-Empting a Crisis: Deepfake Detection Skills + Global Access to Media Forensics Tools In a recent WIRED Op-ed I share the story of a recent deepfake panic in Myanmar. Spoiler: It probably wasn’t a deepfake… but it has important implications for how we think about access to deepfake detection technology and what skills, capacities and escalation options are needed. You can read more about the story here. “RECENTLY […]
- Truth, lies and social media accountability in 2021 In 2021, critical issues at the intersection of social media, accountability, and human rights are finally at the center of global public discussion. It took the attempted insurrection at the US Capitol to lead to social media platforms finally suspending former President Donald Trump’s accounts and forcing a discussion about online content, hate and violence. […]
- The Adobe Content Authenticity Initiative approach to authenticity infrastructure against media manipulation Launch of the Content Authenticity Initiative White Paper Today the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) spearheaded by Adobe, Twitter and the New York Times publishes its White Paper. WITNESS is a co-author on the paper and has been part of the Working Group developing the standards alongside other groups including TruePic, Microsoft, the BBC, CBC and […]
- Tracing trust: Why we must build authenticity infrastructure that works for all May 2020 TLDR: Coronavirus has dramatically increased the stakes for how we deal with issues of manipulated, fake and deceptive video and audio online, with governments, companies and publics responding to the need to discern truth from falsehood. One solution to misinformation and disinformation is to better track what is authentic, what is manipulated and […]
- What’s needed in deepfakes detection? April 2020 Misinformation and disinformation are a critical problem for societies worldwide. In response, WITNESS’s work addressing new forms of media manipulation such as deepfakes and synthetic media is focused on preparing better, and advancina a more global, human rights-lead approach to these emerging threats. Learning from previous and current mis/disinformation challenges, where critical impacted […]
- Coronavirus and human rights: Preparing WITNESS’s response UPDATE: Our COVID-19 landing page is here (and Portuguese, Spanish) COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is creating rapid and dangerous human rights implications globally, directly impacting people’s lives, livelihoods, security, health, ability to work and freedom of movement and assembly, as well as leading to implications for digital rights and increasing online surveillance. The immediate implications of coronavirus – […]
- The Pros and Cons of Facebook’s New Deepfakes Policy Yesterday Facebook released its policy on enforcing against manipulated media, detailing how the company would respond to deepfakes, and to a lesser extent shallowfakes. On Wednesday 8 January 2020 the US Congress will hold another hearing on digital manipulation, following on from the first congressional hearing on deepfakes in June 2019. Over the past two years WITNESS has […]
- Deepfakes and Synthetic Media: Updated Survey of Solutions against Malicious Usages Last updated: June 2019 (NOTE: please send feedback on areas/examples we are missing to sam [at} witness.org: this is not a comprehensive list!) This is a survey of solutions around the emerging and potential malicious uses of so-called “deepfakes” and other forms of AI-generated “synthetic media” and how we push back to defend evidence, the truth […]
- Deepfakes and Synthetic Media: Survey of Solutions against Malicious Usages For updated information on our work in this area please visit wit.to/Synthetic-Media-Deepfakes. This includes an updated version of this survey. This is the second in a series of blogs on a new area of focus at WITNESS around the emerging and potential malicious uses of so-called “deepfakes” and other forms of AI-generated “synthetic media” and […]
- Deepfakes and Synthetic Media: What should we fear? What can we do? For updated information on WITNESS work in this area please visit wit.to/Synthetic-Media-Deepfakes This is the first in a series of blogs on a new area of focus at WITNESS around the emerging and potential malicious uses of so-called “deepfakes” and other forms of AI-generated “synthetic media” and how we push back to defend evidence, the truth […]
- Live video, curation, and action at #Rio2016 Olympics With our allies in Rio de Jainero, we're conducting pilot projects using live video, curation and action to highlight human rights violations that took place in the lead-up to and during the Olympic Games.
- Immersive Witnessing: From Empathy and Outrage to Action There are challenges and opportunities in virtual reality, live and immersive media for social good. New WITNESS projects aim to channel this empathy into meaningful action.
- Why YouTube’s Blurring Tool Matters and Why Other Platforms Should Have One Too We discuss why visual anonymity is important for protecting activists using video for change & look at YouTube's newly improved blurring functionality.
- Mobil-Eyes Us: Using Live Video and the Power of Networks for Smart Activism How can we use the power of live video to connect people to the causes they care about, & provide immediate & meaningful ways to act by using their skills?
- See, Hear… Act?: Co-Present Storytelling and Action How can emerging tech tools like live-streaming or task routing apps be used to connect communities of support with activists on the ground in real time?