We already knew that people had the ability to convincingly alter photographs and video to get almost any effect they wanted. The software has become so easy to use that almost anyone who wants to can do so. Now Marcus Ranum links to an amazing video showing new audio technology that enables people to easily do the same thing to audio, so that using just a small sample of someone’s voice, it can make it look as if that person is saying something that they never did.
This technology will be an added boon to the fake news industry that manufactures ‘news’ that is tailored to appeal to what particular groups want to believe, and is then circulated by them using social media among fellow believers who do not care to check whether the news is real or not as long as it appeals to their prejudices and preconceptions.
So now not only can we not believe our eyes, we cannot believe our ears either. We are going to have confirmation bias on steroids.
That’s exactly what I thought, and started worrying about, when I saw Marcus’ post.
Not a revolution, more an evolution. Much of what we read and see today is already suspect. The skeptics will still be skeptic, and the gullible already believe anything they want to believe. When the most blatantly transparent liar of them all wins the presidential election, we’ve crossed the line into information surrealism.
The word “sheeple”, unpopular as it is, fits well in these circumstances.
But there’s always an upside. The “Bad Lip Reading” videos on YouTube will get even better. Check out the Presidential Debates.
@ 2 Smokey
the gullible already believe anything they want to believe
In general I agree but I think there is some research from psychology suggesting this can be reduced and you’d have to catch them young.
I doubt that there is any hope of that for a full-blown Conspiracy Theorist. Oh, hi Alex.
This technology will be an added boon to the fake news industry that manufactures ‘news’ that is tailored to appeal to what particular groups want to believe, and is then circulated by them using social media among fellow believers who do not care to check whether the news is real or not as long as it appeals to their prejudices and preconceptions.
I am hoping that what will happen is that people will learn to completely not trust “news” as they have mostly learned to not trust spam and “get rich quick” schemes. The media used to be gatekeepers over ‘truth’ but they didn’t discharge that responsibility well, so now it’s been taken away from them. In the long term, that Facebook, etc, have allowed “fake news” just weakens Facebook. They’re too silly to figure that out, and it’s going to cause short-term headaches a’plenty.
If I have time in the next couple days I’ve got another post I’ll do on this topic.
It’s not just fake “news” we need to worry about. Remember Israel claiming the crew of the Rachel Corrie said, “Go back to Auschwitz”? They were caught lying because the doctoring of the audio was so shoddy. With newer technology, illegitimate governments and rogue states will be quite willing to pretend people said words that were never uttered (i.e. claiming people made terrorist threats).
It’s not just governments, there’s plenty of room for abuse. How about identity thieves calling to record you saying, “Nope, wrong number” and using your voice to invade your life? How about corporations claiming people bought things and charged their credit cards, or said things and reneging on contracts? Recording all your own conversations may end up being the only defence against criminal governments, police, corporations or individuals.
Marcus Ranum @ # 4: I am hoping that what will happen is that people will learn to completely not trust “news” …
As, more and more, I grow distrustful of sources I had previously considered somewhat reliable, I feel only more stressed and confused, and less willing to engage in debate or take any other political action. The extrapolation of this trend looks a lot like “100% uncertainty: 0% response”.
It may seem pure Pollyanna to wish for actually trustworthy journalism in these days, but why do you “hope” for only the gulls and marks to have any confidence in their information?