Deepfake Usage Leading the Misuse of AI, Consent, and Awareness in Singapore

Deepfakes have always been a rising threat to the entertainment and educational industry due to the high misuse of AI. The wrong use of AI harms the public’s sentiments due to image, video, or audio exploitation to generate a fake representation of real people. 

Recent incidents in Singapore reflect the alarming rise of deepfake usage. For instance, deepfake nude photos circulated among students at the Singapore Sports School led to a debate about the ethical implications of AI misuse. Within days, extortion emails to over 100 public servants, including five ministers, were revealed using compromising deepfake images. These incidents underscore how deepfakes exploit personal identities, creating harmful spaces online.

The misuse of deepfake technology comes with questions about consent and privacy where most young people spend almost all their time online, as in the case where the Singapore Sports School comes to mind. The demand for deeper deepfake awareness regarding ethical issues and results of exploited content

Generative AI, the core of deepfakes, makes it easier than ever to produce highly realistic synthetic media. Although these tools are used for harmless activities such as entertainment, they are increasingly being misused for sextortion, disinformation, and identity fraud. 

Disinformation associated with deepfakes has already been used to manipulate voters during elections in countries such as the U.S., India, and Indonesia. It was on account of this that Singapore recently passed a law banning the use of deepfakes during elections to maintain integrity.

Deepfakes will significantly impact identity fraud. However, Identity fraud, in the Asia-Pacific region, has surged by 240% in Singapore, underscoring the need for serious countermeasures. Secondly, there is growing concern regarding data privacy since user-generated deepfakes raise questions over how apps store and make use of information on personal levels.

The deepfake technology, as it becomes more accessible and realistic, poses a challenge to society. The strengthening of digital literacy, the establishment of stringent regulations, and awareness regarding appropriate usage of AI are major steps toward the eradication of this issue. There is a technological as well as societal challenge to deal with such misuse of AI and deepfakes.