COMM 151 Lecture 18
What are examples of deep doubt in action?
- Idea of Joe Biden being replaced by AI hologram - Trump accusing Kamala of using AI to make crowd sizes larger
What were the main results of the Fake or Not Images project?
- about successful with average individual (scores varied) - landscape harder to detect than people - strategies : unnatural shadows, distortions, extra fingers, etc - surprised with realistic AI images
What does this liar's dividend lead to?
- makes people better at detecting fake media as society with knowledge of how easy it is to create it - leads to distrust in traditional news
What were the main results of the Cut it Out projects?
- more productive - experienced FOMO mostly due to boredom - instinctively reached for phones conclusion : social media isn't essential but Is valuable
What were the main results of the Fake or Not news project ?
- scored higher than average Americans - created fake news by appealing to emotional and topics that grabbed attention but was vague so did not need content - recognize headlines that are extreme, opinionated, and polarizing as fake
Why did deep doubt arise?
1. due to easy access to generating convincing fake content 2. use of AI-generated scenes to deny real documentary evidence
When did the AI- deep fake first surface?
2017, deepfakes on reddit with porn and fake Obama speech
How has deep fakes lead to widespread doubt?
AI-generated content can be used to spread doubt about authenticity of real events that took place in history
What Is the main worry that Edwards (2024) highlights?
a "cultural singularity" where truth and fiction in media become indistinguishable
What is liar's dividend ?
a consequence of deep doubt : deep fakes being weaponized by liars to discredit authentic evidence
How does technology cause authentic evidence to be less credible?
ability to make fake evidence causes claims of doubt
How does AI make space for authoritarianism ?
because objective truths lose their power and opinions become more influential than facts
How do online communities show this deep doubt erode social trust on a massive, internet-wide scale?
concepts of dead internet theory -
How can deep doubt be countered?
context - 1. evaluating reality of sources on provenance, context, motives 2. evaluating veracity of online media and multiple sources
What is the impact of deep doubt?
cultural singularity (2020) - threshold where truth and fiction in media become indistinguishable
What are deepfakes?
fake AI generated content that is manipulated to appear real
What are the major issues of deepfakes?
it erodes social trust, degrades quality of online information by introducing noise, and possibly distorts historical records
What does shared cultural perception of truth becoming subjective lead to?
more individuals choosing to believe what aligns with preexisting views tanner than considering evidence in other perspectives
How has how trust changed since earlier times?
part of our trust in media made by others was a result of how expensive and time-consuming it was - required skills to produce information
How is doubt being used as a political weapon?
seeds of uncertainty are sown to manipulate public opinion, undermine opposites, and hide the truth
What is "deep doubt" according to Edwards with Ai bringing a new era of skepticism?
skepticism of real media that stems from existence of generated AI
What do people more credible to claim now with AI?
that real events did not happen, suggesting that documentary evidence was fabricated using AI tools
How is AI a refuge for liars?
the deep learning technology allows for creation of false/modified content that appear real
What Is a key part of cultural singularity ?
the level of noise or uncertainty that AI-generated media can inject into our information ecosystem at scale
What is the "dead internet theory"?
theory that most internet is algorithmically generated content, with bots pretending to interact with it
Even if forgery/photoshop existed before, why was it difficult?
was costly and limited as it took time and skill
How does deep doubt lead to media sensibility loss?
we rely on others to get information and deep doubt changes political discourse, legal systems, and shared understanding of historical events - we do not know what is "true"
Who coined "liar's dividend"?
Danielle K. Citron and Robert Chesney in 2019
