The distinctions between fact and fiction have become hazy in the era of algorithms and anonymity. Welcome to the Infodemic, where lies bloom like wildfire and truth is considered a luxury. From doctored videos to fabricated news, the digital landscape is awash with deepfakes and misinformation with Nigeria squarely in the crosshairs. Can you spot the truth from the fake?
The term “deepfake” originates from the combination of “deep learning” and “fake”. Deepfakes are images, videos, or audio which are edited or generated using artificial intelligence tools, and which may depict real or non-existent people. They are a type of synthetic media and a modern form of a “media prank”.
The great majority of individuals in today’s society rely on the internet to inform them about the world and to help them form their ideas. As a result, anyone with the skill to produce deepfakes can spread false information and sway public opinion to support the faker’s own goals. Misinformation based on deepfakes has the potential to cause both small-scale and large-scale problems. On a smaller scale, deepfakers can, for instance, produce customized movies that seem to show a relative requesting a sizable payment to assist them in an emergency and distribute them to unwary victims, defrauding innocent people to a never-before-seen degree. On a large-scale, phoney movies of prominent world leaders making false statements have the potential to instigate bloodshed.
Misinformation is defined as misleading information that is circulated, frequently without intent, via several platforms, including social media, news sources, and word-of-mouth. It can take many different forms, such as misleading headlines or news reports, biased information, and rumours. It can have unfavourable effects, such as destroying trust and causing uncertainty or panic.
Deepfakes and misinformation are closely related as deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation. To deceive voters, for instance, a deepfake video could be made to appear as though a politician is saying something they haven’t spoken about and then circulated on social media.
On the other hand, false information may also aid in the spread of deepfakes. It may become more difficult to tell what is real and what is phoney if misleading information about a deepfake is circulated.
Given Nigeria’s complicated social and political environment, the effects of deepfakes and false information can be quite severe. In addition to intensifying already-existing tensions and conflicts, the use of deepfakes and false information can erode public confidence in the media and institutions. The difficulty of telling fact from fiction is one of the biggest problems. As technology has advanced, it is now simpler to produce convincing deepfakes that can be used to trick and influence people.
The absence of efficient regulation and enforcement is another issue brought on by deepfakes and false information in Nigeria. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is one of the measures the Nigerian government has taken to combat the problem of disinformation, although more work is required to address the underlying causes of the issue.
More people need to be informed of the possible repercussions of deepfakes and false information. The possible dangers of deepfakes and false information are yet unknown to many Nigerians.
More education and awareness of the possible repercussions of deepfakes and false information are required. The possible dangers of deepfakes and false information are yet unknown to many Nigerians. More funding is also required for media literacy initiatives that will assist Nigerians in acquiring the critical thinking abilities necessary to successfully traverse the complicated internet information environment. To create efficient plans for dealing with the problem of disinformation, the government, civil society, and the commercial sector must also work together more.
