-------------------------------------------- Deep fakes 2018.01.27 21:10:56 CET -------------------------------------------- It seems Deep Fakes are becoming more and more popular. Today I saw three articles about it online, one TV news show discussion and at least two Tor hidden sites dedicated to the production and sharing of Deep Fakes. If you don't know what a Deep Fake is: it's the product of using some of the most modern artificial intelligence techniques to replace the faces of pornographic actresses with other faces, therefor producing a "Fake" pornographic video. For example, placing the face of a famous Hollywood actress on a porn video. Similar to Photoshop'ing a face on a picture, but with videos, and with excellent technical quality. Unless the fake images are used for profit, I am unaware of any laws which make them illegal - in other words, the images by themselves are not illegal, but if you sell them or make a profit, then you could be in trouble. But by the tone of the conversation online and on TV, it seems this won't be the same with fake videos. Another difference besides the media format is the ease of production. A few days, some freely available software, sample pictures, some patience and anyone could produce a fake video, with *anyone*. I think this is the reason why people are so scared and I understand them. But I get *extremely* concerned every time new legislation is proposed in response to new technology. Much more concerned than someone producing and sharing a fake porn video with my face or my wife's face. No one can deny people have used mental imagery of strangers for sexual pleasure for a long time. If someone produces deep fakes for their own consumption, how is this different than mental imagery? If the problem is the potential for sharing the end-product, then we are opening a can of worms for the future, when brain-to-brain interfaces are possible - or even if you extend the idea of freedom of speech as the transmission of ideas. If one can explain to someone else the sexual imagery they use, "sharing this content" freely, how is this different than sharing deep fakes? I can understand the fear of deep fakes and I need to think a lot more about this issue, but my knee-jerk reaction is to be against any legislation to make deep fakes illegal.