The world of show business and entertainment is always looking for new ideas to attract public attention. Recently, it is the British television series “Deep Fake Neighbour Wars” that is in the spotlight sparking a real debate about the risks and ethical-social consequences of using deep fake technology employed, in this case, to create celebrity faces on unknown actors.
Deep fake technology reaches the wide public with Deep Fake Neighbour Wars
According to journalist Stuart Heritage, in the Guardian, “Until now, most people have been concerned about deepfakes in a purely theoretical way, as the technology has been used for various primarily harmful purposes, from spreading fake news to scams or non-consensual pornography. It is likely that Deep Fake Neighbour Wars will become the time when a huge segment of the population will actually experience it for the first time.”
In support of this theory, a brief search on Google Trends shows how the “deep fake” has reached the curiosity of the British public, who, after the release of the series, began to inquire by searching for the term “deep fake” on search engines, thus suggesting how this technology is already beginning to catch on among the general public.
The risks of the deep fake for celebrities and the public
The main risk associated with the use of this technology is the possibility of creating false content and easily spreading it online, without users being able to distinguish what is true from what is false. This could cause serious harm, both socially and politically.
However, it is not only the risk of spreading fake news that is of concern, but also the ethical issue: many experts believe that the use of this technology for entertainment purposes may contribute to the development of a false image culture, where the truth and authenticity of facts or people become less important.
In addition, there is still no legislation regulating the use of deep fake technology, which means that there is no control over how this technology is used and spread generating potential risks such as fraud, defamation and other crimes.
The impact on the public: #deepfake on Twitter after the release Deep Fake Neighbour Wars
The Deep Fake Neighbour Wars series has received much criticism, but it is still too early to assess its impact on society. However, it is known that on the day the series was released on January 26, 2023, the hashtag #deepfake became a trending topic on Twitter, with thousands of tweets discussing the risks and potential of deep fake technology.
“Deep Fake Neighbour Wars” thus represents a significant example of the use of deep fake technology in the entertainment world and beyond. It is important that a reflection on the ethical issue of the use of this technology begins from society as a whole but especially from experts and lawmakers to regulate it and prevent abuse and spread of fraud, misinformation, cybercrime.
