Artificial intelligence can create highly realistic images that are difficult to differentiate from real photographs. The fact is that deep fakes reduce trust in all images. Experts call this one of the major threats of the digital age. In this article El.kz explores the ways to protect users.
Deepfakes move from politics Into everyday life
According to the British organisation Internet Watch Organisation, the number of reports related to fake images of private individuals has increased almost fourfold over the last reporting period.
The main reason is simple: the technologies have become accessible and no longer require professional editing skills.
How fake image is created
Modern neural networks are trained on publicly available photos from the internet. Even a few images from social media allow an algorithm to build a digital model of a face with about 80 % visual similarity for an untrained observer.
After that, a person can be “placed” into almost any situation, including scenes that can cause damage.
International organizations sound the alarm
Reports by OESD and UNICEF note that the spread of synthetic content has become a new form of digital violence. Of particular concern is the use of AI against teenagers and women, as their images most often become targets of manipulation.
Studies show that a significant share of users learn about the existence of fake content only after it has already spread widely.
Governments begin to introduce liability
Over the past year, several countries have passed laws against the creation of unauthorized deepfake images. In some jurisdictions, publishing such materials is already considered a criminal offense, with fines reaching tens of thousands of dollars.
The EU is introducing requirements for labeling content created by artificial intelligence.
Why detecting faked is becoming harder
Studies by U.S. universities show that people recognize AI-generated images only slightly better than random guessing about 60 % of the time.
Algorithms have learned to accurately reproduce lighting, skin texture, and even subtle emotional details that previously revealed falsifications.
How to reduce the risk of your photos being misused
Digital security experts increasingly emphasize the need for personal digital hygiene. Limiting public access to high-quality images significantly reduces the likelihood that photos will be used to train models.
It is especially recommended to be cautious when publishing close-up portraits and photos with neutral backgrounds, which are the easiest for neural networks to process.
If a fake photo has already appeared
Specialists advise immediately documenting the source of publication and contacting the platform’s administration. Practice shows that content removal is most effective within the first 24 hours after an image appears online.
In addition, lawyers recommend preserving evidence of distribution, as many countries are developing case law to protect digital reputation.
World enters an era of reality verification
Technology companies are already working on systems to verify the authenticity of images directly at the device camera level. Such solutions are expected to become standard within the next five years.
The paradox of the digital age is that the more advanced image-creation technologies become, the more important it is to be able to prove that a photograph is real.