ID Crypt has analysed how many monthly Google searches UK internet users are carrying out with keyword terms related to deepfakes and fake news*, providing new insight into what sort of public interest there is in misinformation.
What is a deepfake?
A deepfake is a video or image in which a person’s face, body, or general likeness has been digitally altered and manipulated to make them appear to be doing or saying something that they never said or did.
While there have been a number of well-executed creative endeavours that have made good use of deepfake technology, such as Kendrick Lamar’s video for his song The Heart Part 5, the sad truth is that the technology is more often than not used maliciously or in effort to spread false information.
Interest in deepfakes is growing rapidly. In the UK, the average number of Google searches with keywords that include ‘deepfake(s)’ is estimated to be 11,100 per month.
This number gets even larger when you include data on ‘deepfake porn’ keywords which themselves account for an average of 4,950 monthly searches.
The numbers grow even more when you account for other x-rated keywords including ‘deepfakes porn’, which is searched for an average of 1,472 per month, ‘deepfakes xxx’ (800), and ‘porn deepfakes’ (791).
Whatsmore, there appears to be a desire among some people to create their own deepfake content, as proven by 650 monthly searches for keywords surrounding ‘deepfake maker’.
The murky world of fake news
Deepfakes are one part of the great misinformation crisis that the UK and much of the world is facing,
Misinformation, or fake news, refers to the deliberate and often manipulative creation and spread of stories, statistics, or information that have no grounds in reality but which the spreaders will claim to be true and real.
Misinformation can be used for purposes of spreading conspiracy theories, such as Alex Jones’ notorious Sandy Hook scandal, impacting public discourse, and swaying decision-making such as in the build up to a major election.
Keyword searches for topics surrounding ‘fake news’ average 3,346 Google searches each month in the UK, while searches for ‘misinformation’ come in at 1,435 per month.
While many of these searches will be from people seeking information about the impact of fake news and how to spot disinformation, one particularly concerning keyword search term catches the eye for all the wrong reasons.
‘Fake news generator’ is a search term used an average of 1,200 times every month in the UK as many people look to create and spread their own fake news, thus adding to the melee of untrustworthy content already swirling around online and often infiltrating mainstream news reporting.
CEO and Founder of ID Crypt Global, Lauren Wilson-Smith, commented:
“There is clearly a lot of interest in fake news and deepfake technology. They’ve become increasingly common parts of our news cycle and public discourse over the past couple of years, especially around issues such as general elections, presidential elections, and fake celebrity pornography and the questions which then rise around the legality and morality of people creating their own false images and videos.
It’s fair to say that ending the circulation of fake news and images is a battle that is currently almost impossible to win. That’s why it’s so important to create tools that enable people and orginisations to spot fake news and false images as soon as they see them, instantly differentiating them from real stories and genuine images.”
Data tables and sources