Facebook’s Global Policy Management President Monika Bickert said they have removed modified images and videos that were intended to deceive millions of users.
She said that contents that fall under the two set categories for
“deepfakes” or “misleading manipulated media” will be
banned in the social media site.
The first category covers those that were “edited or synthesized in ways
that aren’t apparent to an average person and would likely mislead someone into
thinking that a subject of the video said words that they did not actually
say.”
While the other category will revolve on “product of artificial
intelligence or machine learning that merges, replaces or superimposes content
onto a video, making it appear to be authentic.”
Bickert said that other contents like photos, videos, and audio recordings that
are not considered “deepfake” will still be double-checked and given
restricted spread on Facebook especially if these have violative information or
features.
The banning serves as Facebook’s ardent initiative to fight disinformation online.
The spread of misinformation online has become a significant concern, with social media platforms being a primary conduit for the dissemination of false or misleading information. This phenomenon has been exacerbated by the increasing sophistication of digital editing tools, which can be used to create convincing but fake content.
As a result, many social media companies have come under pressure to take steps to mitigate the spread of disinformation on their platforms. Deepfakes have raised concerns due to their potential to be used to create highly convincing but entirely fabricated content. Facebook’s Global Policy Management President Monika Bickert said they have removed modified images and videos that were intended to deceive millions of users.
She said that contents that fall under the two set categories for “deepfakes” or “misleading manipulated media” will be banned in the social media site.
The first category covers those that were “edited or synthesized in ways that aren’t apparent to an average person and would likely mislead someone into thinking that a subject of the video said words that they did not actually say.” While the other category will revolve on “product of artificial intelligence or machine learning that merges, replaces or superimposes content onto a video, making it appear to be authentic.” Facebook’s decision to ban deceptive, modified media is part of a broader effort by social media companies to address the issue of disinformation online.
Bickert said that other contents like photos, videos, and audio recordings that are not considered “deepfake” will still be double-checked and given restricted spread on Facebook especially if these have violative information or features. The banning serves as Facebook’s initiative to fight disinformation online. The significance of Facebook’s move extends beyond the company itself, as it reflects a growing recognition of the need for social media companies to take responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms.
By taking steps to address this issue, Facebook can help to promote a more informed public, and reduce the potential for online misinformation to have real-world consequences.
