Team Herald
MARGAO: IT experts who have worked in the film industry have said that with available software it is entirely possible to create videos that present a false reality.
There is software compatible with all video formats that require high quality editing to create such videos. However, they point out that for a person or an entity to pull off a ‘deep fake’ and ‘elaborately done’ video, they would have to work on it for a long period, even months, and it would require much funding.
“Making someone say something is easy now. What is difficult is to make face alterations or creating an artificial sequence of events where a person is doing something that in real life that person has not done,” said one such expert.
“These things can be achieved by putting someone standing with the same build and physical personality. Along with someone who can mimic that person’s voice and talking style,” said another expert.
Another major requirement they point out is the need of hours of footage of the persons who are being impersonated in the videos, if that is the case.
They add that a professional VFX (visual effects) would have to be hired and they would use unedited old footage of the persons being impersonated to create the content for the new artificial videos.
With that, they can make the person carry out an act that the person may not have done and also speak and say things. Experts added that there exists software that can take care of the video as well as the audio and lip syncing also.
While such technology has already been used in the film industry, what they say could invite action from the law is when such skills are used for making fake videos.
“There have been cases where personalities have been blackmailed. When arrests have been made in such cases, you get to know how big the entire operation is and making such videos look authentic is just one part of it,” the expert added.
The experts also said it is possible for VFX experts or IT professionals in the field to differentiate if a video is fake or genuine. “Even with all the high end software you can still spot the fake in it. If you can’t spot that then it means the videos are genuine,” an expert added.
