A member of ME4A team, Raxell Neoman, recently encountered a deep fake video of Zizan Razak promoting a gambling app on Facebook Ad. This experience highlights tips on how to spot fake video online. Learn how to debunk the misinformation with tips to navigate the growing world of AI-generated content.
Have you ever seen a video online that seemed too good to be true, even featuring a familiar celebrity endorsement? We’ve all been there! Today, we’ll explore a recent example and equip you with tips to navigate the growing world of deep fakes.
The Case of the Fake Zizan Razak Video
Recently, a video circulated on Facebook claiming popular Malaysian comedian Zizan Razak was promoting a money-making app. As I continue watching this video, it shows a gambling app which doesn’t make sense because nobody would just tell people to go and gamble their money right? Which in this case is coming from a famous public figure. ABSURD!
A closer look to the video revealed several red flags:
- Without a trace: the source of the video was not found from the Facebook page.
- Uncharacteristic voice: Though the video showed Zizan, the voice promoting the app sounded robotic and didn’t match his natural speaking style.
- Suspicious source: The video originated from a page with minimal followers and activity, suggesting it might have been created solely for spreading misinformation.
Fact-Checking Deepfakes: Beyond the Basics
While advancements in AI technology offer exciting possibilities, it’s important to acknowledge the potential for misuse. Deepfakes are becoming increasingly realistic, as explored in a recent Bloomberg QuickTake report. Here’s what to watch for:
- Lip-Syncing Mismatch: Pay close attention to how a person’s mouth moves while they speak. In deepfakes, the audio and lip movements might not be perfectly synchronised.
- Unnatural Skin Tones or Blurriness: Advanced deepfakes are becoming more realistic, but some may still exhibit subtle imperfections like unnatural skin tones or slight blurring around the manipulated area.
Fact-checking doesn’t require an expert! Here at ME4A, we want to empower you with these simple tips:
- Visual Design: Pay close attention to the overall look and feel of an image or video. Consider things like lighting, color balance, and overall composition.
- Zoom In: Don’t be afraid to zoom in on details like facial expressions, text, or objects within the image or video. Look for inconsistencies or unnatural blurriness.
- Critical Observation: Use your intuition! Does something about the image or video feel “off”? Think critically about its content and message.
If you say yes, then you are getting there! If you look critically, observe the image and zoom further, the visual design of the hand in the persons on the right are just not looking right. As you can see in the circle, the image of the hand looks not complete.
The tips we previously discussed – visual design, zooming, and critical observation – are great starting points for identifying basic photo edits. However, AI-generated videos (deep fakes) require a slightly different approach. .
First, let’s take a closer look at the video and zoom into the subject. (oh boy, this is tough) We can see that the person has a very close resemblance to Zizan Razak in the video. Second, let’s try to apply critical observation techniques. As the person speaks, the words that come out from audio are not in sync with his mouth. His voice sounded robotic. Lastly, let’s conduct a voice comparison between this video with an original Zizan video.
In conclusion, the video claiming Zizan Razak was promoting a money-making app is Inaccurate/False. Several red flags, including the uncharacteristic voice and the suspicious source of the video, pointed towards misinformation.
The Future of Deepfakes and Fact-Checking
As AI technology continues to evolve, so too will the deepfakes. While deepfakes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, critical observation and fact-checking techniques can help us navigate the online world with confidence.
Remember:
- Reverse Image Search: Use online tools like Google Images or TinEye to see if the video content appears elsewhere on the internet
- Compare with Authentic Sources: Check the social media pages of the person featured in the video for similar content. Does their voice and speaking style match the suspicious video?
- Don’t Share Before Verifying: A quick fact-check can save you from spreading misinformation.
By developing a critical eye and using fact-checking techniques, we can become a more informed online citizen.
Cover image and graphics by Nuur Hafizah Ramdan, story written by Raxell Neoman and edited by Hazwany Jamaluddin.