Global Experts Draft Open Letter Urging Swift Action Against Deepfake Threat
Summary:
Over 300 global experts have written an open letter addressing the threat of deepfakes, titled "Disrupting the Deepfake Supply Chain". The letter calls on governments to impose measures to halt the proliferation of deepfakes. The proposed actions include criminalizing deepfake child pornography, punishing those who knowingly create or disseminate harmful deepfakes, and placing obligations on software developers to prevent the generation of harmful deepfakes. Endorsers of the letter include Andrew Yang, Steven Pinker and global intellectuals from various fields. The letter comes in the wake of a surge in deepfake incidents, prompting calls for quicker legislative action.
In a collaborative effort to combat the spread of deepfakes, over 300 global specialists in technology, AI, digital ethics, and child safety have penned an open letter imploring governments to take decisive action immediately. The letter, titled "Disrupting the Deepfake Supply Chain" and released on Feb. 21, calls on governments, lawmakers, and leaders to intervene in the deepfake supply chain and curb its expansion. The letter proposes three key strategies: 1) treat deepfake child pornography, including those involving virtual children, as criminal acts; 2) impose criminal sanctions on individuals who deliberately create or disseminate harmful deepfakes; 3) enforce expectations for software developers and vendors to prevent their media products from generating damaging deepfakes, with penalties for non-compliance. Several esteemed figures such as Andrew Yang, Steven Pinker, and former presidents of Estonia, along with hundreds of other intellectuals from various countries, have endorsed the letter.
Andrew Critch, lead author of the letter, and an AI researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, emphasized the pressing threat deepfakes pose to society, espousing that they're causing escalating harm to individuals, communities, and democracy. The open letter, he explained, is an avenue for the global public to stand up against harmful deepfakes, insisting for immediate and decisive action.
Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, affirmed the increasing necessity for "biometric rights," emphasizing the uneven burden of algorithmic abuse on marginalized sectors of society, with 98% of non-consensual deepfakes targeting women and girls. She insists on strong consequences for gross misuse of AI.
The Machine Intelligence and Normative Theory Lab and the Center for AI Safety are contributory bodies in developing and disseminating the letter. At present, existing US legislation falls short in regulating the production and distribution of deepfakes. However, contemporary events have driven regulators to hasten actions. Following a spike in deepfakes of Taylor Swift, US lawmakers demanded swift legislative measures to criminalize deepfake production. Soon after, the US prohibited AI-generated scam robocalls, triggered by a deepfake involving President Joe Biden. On Feb. 16, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggested an update of regulations to forbid AI impersonation of businesses or government bodies for consumer safeguarding purposes.
Published At
2/21/2024 4:18:37 PM
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