When Seeing isn’t Believing: Deepfakes and the Collapse of Online Trust

Just a few years ago, one of the earliest viral AI-generated videos seemed like a joke. It showed actor Will Smith eating a bowl of spaghetti. The clip was more funny or creepy than convincing. His face was warped, his body moved strangely, and the spaghetti glitched in his hands. The whole thing had an uncanny, rubbery feel. People shared it because it was ridiculous, not because they believed it was real.

Fast forward to today, and the joke’s on us. Current technology makes AI-generated videos look remarkably realistic. It’s so advanced that even people familiar with deepfakes or trained to identify them can have trouble. The first deepfakes were memes; today's are drivers of misinformation. Deepfakes don’t need to deceive everyone to be effective, they need to sow enough doubt so that people question what's real anymore. This kind of doubt erodes public trust in the news, institutions, and each other.

What are deepfakes?

Deepfakes are AI-created videos, images, or audio that mimic reality, making it appear as if someone said or did something they never actually did. Malicious uses of deepfakes include fabricating evidence, financial scams, creating non-consensual explicit content, or spreading political disinformation. These deepfakes grow increasingly dangerous as they become easier to produce and harder to detect.

The Erosion of Trust

Deepfakes undermine public trust online. They distort the truth, making it hard for people to tell real footage from fake. When enough false videos spread, people often become apathetic about trusting anything they see online. Cynicism becomes the norm as basic facts become the new subject of debate. Institutions that depend on public trust, such as governments and the news media, face the most significant threat.

Why deepfakes go viral

Social media accelerates the spread of deepfake content by making it go viral. This is because deepfakes are designed to be eye-catching and highly exaggerated versions of the truth. Deepfakes become viral online because they provoke strong emotional reactions such as shock, anger, fear, or excitement.

Algorithms drive virality by prioritizing engagement over accuracy. They serve users content they are likely to click on, often material that seems absurd or unbelievable. People are tempted to click on shocking headlines or videos to see them firsthand. This is where deepfakes excel.

Solutions + Advice

For the general public, the most important skill to avoid falling prey to deepfake deceptions is to develop healthy skepticism about everything seen online. Never accept a story or video at face value. Verification is key. Make it a habit to check the source’s origin, verify its credibility with reputable outlets, and gather the full context.

For organizations such as newsrooms, political campaigns, schools, and businesses, investing in AI detection tools is essential. The rapid advancement of AI-generated technology demands detection software to evolve even faster to stay ahead. Media companies should also develop more substantial incentives to encourage more accurate, truthful media, while penalizing the production of harmful deepfakes and limiting their spread. Additional strategies include training employees in basic verification techniques, such as source checking, reverse-image and video searches, and metadata analysis.

Newsrooms and social media platforms, in particular, are testing tools to help the public spot deepfakes. These include labeling AI-generated content, removing certain deepfakes, or limiting their reach. Newsrooms and fact-checkers verify more aggressively, but they always seem a step behind. The speed at which viral content spreads, fueled by algorithms, still surpasses the rate of vetting and verification.

Closing

We are entering a world where video evidence is no longer automatically accepted as proof. While improving public digital literacy and skepticism is essential for combating deepfakes, it won't be effective unless online institutions develop advanced AI detection tools and use them to educate people and raise awareness. If deepfakes continue spreading faster than the truth, we risk losing public trust in the very reality that connects us. Although stopping the creation of deepfakes may be impossible, we can prevent them from becoming the default way we perceive the world.