It's safe to say that we're living in unprecedented times where constant change is rife, and technology is a major factor in what we're all learning to adapt to in this digital age. Regarding technology, there is no denying that it has made some serious progress over the last few years. Something that has caused a social media frenzy is deepfakes.
Deepfake is the latest AI phenomenon that sets the perfect example of how far technology has advanced in recent years, and the results are, quite simply, terrifying. In a nutshell, deepfake is a tool that can completely change reality. It can edit moving clips, audio, and still images into something so realistic that you question whether it's real.
ExpressVPN's blog piece discusses how deepfakes change what we remember and the conflict that could be caused in the political environment. It's an article worth reading as it addresses the primary concern of this new AI tool; having people question their thoughts. Once you grasp that it's a concept we can't ignore any longer, especially in the political world, you'll see how deepfakes are becoming a concern in Nigeria.
Firstly, to understand what sort of impact this tool has in Nigeria, it's important to address that even news outlets have been influenced enough to discuss ways of spotting deepfake-edited audio clips, as seen in Premium Time's article. Deepfakes are ultimately a concern because we don't yet know what they are fully capable of. Like most things, it will improve and become more advanced, making it harder and harder for people to separate truth from fiction.
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As a result, shouldn't countries such as Nigeria now put together security plans to protect themselves from potential deepfake attacks? After all, it's something that isn't exactly out of the question with this AI tool's potential. OAL's news article states that Nigeria must utilize a framework to protect them from such attacks. You can already see its impact in and out of the political environment. Because deepfakes have the potential to severely disrupt any political-related campaigns, it's certainly something that should be addressed sooner rather than later. And although the Nigeria 2023 elections recently passed in February with no mention of any deepfake attacks, this doesn't mean that the country is safe from any other related attacks during the elections in a few years.
Deepfakes, subject to opinion, can be a blessing and a curse. While it can produce some light-hearted comedic edits, its power to divide any sense of control over reality should not be dismissed. State policies throughout countries like China and the USA already ban and criminalize specific use of deepfake content - something that Nigeria does not currently do. I believe it's something that Nigeria needs to counter as deepfakes only become more advanced. Increasing regulation as technology advances is necessary for global and local law, as it will prevent legal loopholes that can damage politics and consumers.
