Deepfake is the name for media content that has been changed, or created using technologies of artificial intelligence.^[1] In most cases, deepfakes are photos, or sequences of videos or audio. In itself, media manipulation is not new. Using machine learning, and artificial neural networks, it is possible to create such content more easily, as less specialized knowledge is required. Also, detecting that an image, video or media piece was made using these technologies is becoming more difficult.

As of 2023, deepfakes are used in different contexts:

• Creating material showing cases of sexual abuse of children or child pornography. Such material can have a direct impact on children, including defamation, grooming, extortion, and bullying.^[2]

• Creating material showing celebrities doing porn
• Creating revenge porn.
• Fake news
• Material for bullying or blackmailing. A report by the American Congressional Research Service warned that deepfakes could be used to blackmail elected officials or those with access to classified information for espionage or influence purposes.^[3]
• Financial fraud

Deepfakes cause a number of problems:

• Audio deepfakes are used for social engineering. The people then believe they get instructions from someone they trust.^[4] In 2019, a U.K.-based energy firm's CEO was scammed over the phone when he was ordered to transfer €220,000 into a Hungarian bank account by an individual who used audio deepfake technology to impersonate the voice of the firm's parent company's chief executive.^[5]
• Fake photos and videos make it difficult to tell if a photo or video is real or a fake. This can be used for disinformation.

Shallowfakes or cheapfakes are similar to deepfakes. They use the same techonlogies, but are less advanced. As an example, they might show a real image, in a different context, so that a different impression is generated.^[6]