2Oct/19Off
Three threats posed by deepfakes that technology won’t solve
1) Problem: Deepfake detectors can’t tell us what should—and shouldn’t—be taken down
Idea: Better moderation
2) Problem: Deepfake-busting technology might not help the people who need protection most
Idea: Don't build anything without consulting those most affected
3) Problem: Deepfake detection is too late to help victims
Idea: New laws
For any such law to work in the US, it would ideally be at the federal level, not the state level. Because of a law called Section 230, platform companies aren’t legally responsible for hosting harmful third-party content unless it violates federal criminal law. If posting harmful videos became a crime, it would not only deter people from posting them; platforms like Facebook would have to work harder to keep them off. “These companies would not be able to raise Section 230 in defense,” says Franks. “They would have any number of defenses, but that particular avenue to them would be blocked.”