Are Deepfakes Concerning? Analyzing Conversations of Deepfakes on Reddit and Exploring Societal Implications

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Authors: Dilrukshi Gamage, Piyush Ghasiya, Vamshi Krishna Bonagiri, Mark E Whiting, Kazutoshi Sasahara

Published: 2022-03-14 09:36:17+00:00

AI Summary

This research analyzes Reddit conversations about deepfakes from 2018-2021 using a mixed-method approach (topic modeling and qualitative coding) to understand community perceptions and societal implications. The study reveals a pro-deepfake community, alongside concerns about the technology's believable nature and platform moderation.

Abstract

Deepfakes are synthetic content generated using advanced deep learning and AI technologies. The advancement of technology has created opportunities for anyone to create and share deepfakes much easier. This may lead to societal concerns based on how communities engage with it. However, there is limited research available to understand how communities perceive deepfakes. We examined deepfake conversations on Reddit from 2018 to 2021 -- including major topics and their temporal changes as well as implications of these conversations. Using a mixed-method approach -- topic modeling and qualitative coding, we found 6,638 posts and 86,425 comments discussing concerns of the believable nature of deepfakes and how platforms moderate them. We also found Reddit conversations to be pro-deepfake and building a community that supports creating and sharing deepfake artifacts and building a marketplace regardless of the consequences. Possible implications derived from qualitative codes indicate that deepfake conversations raise societal concerns. We propose that there are implications for Human Computer Interaction (HCI) to mitigate the harm created from deepfakes.

Key findings

Reddit conversations show a pro-deepfake sentiment, with users actively creating and sharing deepfakes, even monetizing them. Concerns about the believability of deepfakes and platform moderation were also prevalent. The study identifies several societal implications, including the potential for deepfakes to be used for political misinformation, pornography, and to create a marketplace for deepfake services.

Approach

The researchers used a mixed-method approach, combining topic modeling of Reddit posts and comments to identify major discussion themes, and qualitative coding to analyze the societal implications of these conversations. The temporal evolution of these topics was also tracked to show changes over time.

Datasets

Reddit conversations related to "deepfake" from 2018 to 2021, including 6,638 posts and 86,425 comments.

Model(s)

Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) for topic modeling.

Author countries

Japan, India, USA

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