Dr Subhajit Basu interviewed in ‘The National News’ on the rise of ‘deep fake’ images

The article was titled ‘In a world with deepfake videos and images, can we tell reality and fiction apart?’

Recent deepfake images circulating on Twitter including Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket, and Donald Trump scuffling with police whilst being arrested were created using an artificial intelligence image generator called Midjourney. 

School of Law Associate Professor in Cyber Law Dr Subhajit Basu was interviewed for ‘The National News’ (the Middle East’s most well-known English newspaper) on the rise of deepfake images like these. 

Dr Basu told the publication, "Deepfake content can be used maliciously, such as discrediting politicians or spreading disinformation. For example, deepfake videos can create false statements or actions attributed to political candidates, influencing public opinion and undermining trust in the democratic process. 

"This can be incredibly damaging in countries where the general population does not have ‘digital awareness’. This can contribute to the erosion of trust in democratic institutions, media, and public figures." 

Governments need to create laws that directly address deepfakes, making it illegal to create and distribute such content without consent, especially in cases intended to harm or deceive others. 

Click here to visit The National News website and read the full interview.