Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated fake interviews with England football coach, Gareth Southgate, have been circulating on social media, purporting to show him making derogatory comments about players on the national team. Using an AI voice generator, the clips deliberately morph Southgate’s mouth so that he appears to be making crude remarks about his players. The material, which has been viewed by millions, has been called “offensive” by the Football Association. The fake interviews have been circulating on Instagram and TikTok. While some England fans described them as “funny”, others felt that the material was “harmful” and the FA pledged to remove it as soon as possible.
AI-generated content is permitted on TikTok and Instagram, but the platforms emphasise that harmful material violates AIGC policies. Concerns have been raised about the potential of deepfake technology to harm democracies worldwide. London Mayor Sadiq Khan reported earlier this year that deepfake audio depicting him in a poor light almost led to “serious disorder” before Armistice Day. Meanwhile, former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland described AI videos in politics as a “clear and present danger” to democracy across the UK. Experts warn that not just those in positions of power are vulnerable to such forms of manipulation, including deepfake videos.
Professor Hany Farid, an expert in digital forensics at the University of California, stressed the necessity for regulation and balance when it comes to satire. It is permissible for people to write satirical articles making fun of politicians and athletes, he said. There is a fine line, however, between acceptable and offensive material, which lawyers and society are likely to have to navigate more and more as deepfake technology becomes commonplace. Meanwhile, England won Group C of Euro 2024 and will play against Slovakia in the last 16. Despite their success, Southgate and the team have been subjected to criticism, including issues around his personal performance as a coach
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