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What is a fake?
A fake is false information, news, or a statement that is intentionally misleading. These distortions of information often evoke strong emotions in people, making their spread on social media and through word of mouth extremely rapid. For example, in 2018, a video emerged online of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, where her speech was slurred, creating the impression that she was intoxicated. This video, created with the intent to undermine her reputation, was merely a fake: the original was slowed down by 25% to achieve this effect.
Reasons for creating fakes
Fakes are created for various reasons, and their impact on society can be significant:
- To attract attention: Sensational headlines and shocking stories can spread quickly, as users actively share them. As a result, authors earn revenue from advertising or other forms of monetization.
- To damage reputation: Fakes can be used to discredit individuals, companies, or organizations, creating a negative image in the eyes of the public. Political opponents often resort to this method to undermine trust in their rivals.
- To steal money or data: Fraudsters use fakes to deceive and gain financial benefits, tricking people with false job offers or services.
- To attract customers: In unscrupulous marketing, fake reviews and fabricated information about products are sometimes used to prompt buyers to make immediate purchases.
- To entertain the audience: Some fakes are created simply for entertainment, such as by satirical publications or in the context of pranks.
According to the international Truth Quest Survey 2024, only 60% of people are able to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Types of fakes
Fakes can be classified into several types:
- Clickbait: Headlines designed to grab attention and prompt user action. They often contain hyperboles, provocative images, or cut off mid-sentence.
- Fake news: Intentionally false information presented as credible news. Such publications often resemble real journalistic materials and are widely shared on social media.
- Satire and parody: Publications created for entertainment that can mislead due to readers' inattentiveness.
- Deepfake: This technology allows the creation of fake images and videos using artificial intelligence, where a famous person's face can be overlaid on a video of another person.
The future of fakes
With the advancement of technology and artificial intelligence, the number of fakes will grow. On one hand, this creates additional challenges in verifying information, but on the other hand, it opens new opportunities. For example, video production studios use neural networks to create video content with digital avatars, saving resources. Despite some drawbacks, such technologies are already being applied in short videos and advertising.
Thus, the world of fakes is becoming increasingly complex, and it is essential to remain vigilant and critically evaluate the information we receive.