Have you ever seen a video of a famous person saying or doing something that seemed out of character or unbelievable? Chances are, you might have encountered a deepfake or real video. Deepfake videos are computer-generated videos that use AI to manipulate or replace the face and voice of a person in an original video.

Deepfake videos can be used to spread misinformation, defame reputations, blackmail victims, or influence public opinion. It is important to be able to tell if a video is a deepfake or real video. In this article, we will share with you seven ways to spot a deepfake video and protect yourself from being deceived by them.

DeepFake or Real video?

Deepfake technology involves using deep learning techniques to create highly realistic but fabricated images, videos, and audio recordings that make it seem like individuals are saying or doing things that never actually occurred. The result looks incredibly real and can easily trick people.

Deepfake videos use photorealistic effects created by artificial intelligence, but they are not flawless. Artificial intelligence is still developing, and it often misses some details that make the videos look real. You can use your own eyes to spot the differences between a deepfake or real video.

How can you detect deepfake videos online?

Deepfake videos can be used for various purposes, such as entertainment, satire, or malicious intent. However, they can also pose a threat to the trustworthiness of online information and the reputation of individuals. It is important to be able to detect deepfake videos online and verify their authenticity.

Spot a Deepfake Video by Examining the Face

Most deepfake AI tools primarily use face swapping to achieve their intended results. Therefore, a simple way to recognize a deepfake or real video by closely examining the face. When an artificial face is placed on someone else’s body, it often appears unnatural and doesn’t match the proportions of the body.

Another clue to spot a deepfake is by checking for inconsistencies in the skin on the face, like missing wrinkles, acne, moles, as AI algorithms typically smooth out these details in an unnatural way. Additionally, differences between facial expressions and body language can indicate a video has been manipulated using deepfake technology.

Eye Movements and Blinking

AI tools have difficulty accurately replicating eye movements, which serves as a useful method to distinguish between a deepfake or real video. Keep an eye out for unnatural eye movements or lack of blinking. Deepfake videos commonly feature subjects that do not blink, and at times, the eye movements appear robotic or mechanical.

Skin Tone Mismatch

In deepfake videos, the faces of people often have a different skin tone compared to the rest of their body. Check for differences in skin tone between the face and visible body parts like hands, legs, or neck. This method is highly reliable for distinguishing between a deepfake or real video.

Length of Deepfake Videos

This method is likely the simplest way to tell apart a deepfake or real video. To produce a deepfake, an AI algorithm requires extensive training over many hours to achieve the intended outcome. Consequently, most deepfake videos tend to be brief, often originating from snippets of social media videos or short press clips.

Pay attention to the mouth and speech

A third way to tell if a video is a deepfake creation is to pay attention to the mouth and speech of the person in the video. Deepfake videos use AI to change or synthesize the voice of a person in an original video, but they may not be able to reproduce the natural and accurate speech of the person.

Therefore, you can look for signs of discrepancy or abnormality in the mouth and speech of the person in the video. If you notice any of these signs, then you can doubt that the video is a deepfake creation. if you see a video of a person whose mouth does not match their voice, then you can question the video’s authenticity.

A sixth way to tell if a video is a deepfake creation is to use online tools or apps to detect deepfake videos. There are many online tools or apps that can help you to analyze and verify the authenticity of a video, such as Microsoft Video Authenticator, Sensity, Reality Defender.

• Microsoft Video Authenticator: This is a tool that analyzes a video and provides a percentage chance that the video is artificially manipulated.
• Sensity: This is a platform that detects and monitors deepfake videos and images on the internet.
• Reality Defender: This is a Detect Deepfake platform that helps enterprises, platforms, and governments stop dangerous content in its tracks.

Lighting and Shadows

Deepfake AI usually doesn’t consider all the other aspects in a scene. While focusing on replicating precise faces, the algorithms often face challenges with lighting, shadows, and overall scene details. If you notice an odd glow around the face or no visible shadow cast by the main light source, chances are it’s a deepfake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Deepfake videos are computer-generated videos that use artificial intelligence to manipulate or replace the face and voice of a person in an original video. Deepfake videos can be used for various purposes, such as entertainment, satire, education, or research.

However, they can also pose serious threats to the credibility of information, the privacy of individuals, and the security of society. In this article, we have shared with you seven ways to spot a deepfake or real video and protect yourself from being deceived by them.