Deepfake Doctor Videos Are Pushing False Medical Advice, How Can You Identify Medical Misinformation

As soon as people became aware of AI videos and pictures, one of the first things people were concerned about was how this can fake videos of people and cause trouble. Concerns about manipulative videos that can tarnish a person’s identity, revenge porn and many other issues were raised. Although many people remained steadfast in their belief that they would be able to recognize AI videos or pictures, other pointed out how it won’t be long before we start to no longer distinguish between the two. That time is not far off, in fact we may have already hit another roadblock, misinformation. Dr. Joel Bervell, a well-known physician on social media, recently discovered a deepfake video using his likeness to promote a product. The video featured his face but a different voice, and was posted on several platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. A CBS News investigation found more than 100 videos across social media featuring fake doctors. Some of these videos used the identities of real physicians to give medical advice or sell products, mostly related to beauty, wellness, and weight loss. Many of these videos were viewed millions of times. Cybersecurity company ESET also found over 20 similar accounts, noting that this type of content is reaching an increasingly wide audience. Also Read: Illinois Becomes First US State To Ban AI-Powered Mental Health Therapy; Why Is This Step Important In Ensuring Patient Safety?What Are These Deepfake Videos On Social Media? Deepfakes are duped videos or audios that are made with AI. This isn’t simple face swapping or editing, it is basically manipulating the media files to make it look like an individual is doing certain things or say something they never did. Reports of fake videos to TikTok, Meta (the parent company of Instagram), and YouTube. Both TikTok and Meta removed the flagged videos, stating they violated company policies. TikTok says it has proactively removed over 94% of content that violates its AI policies. YouTube, however, said the videos did not violate its Community Guidelines and would remain on the platform. The company stated its policies prohibit content that spreads medical misinformation contradicting local health authority guidance, but did not find the flagged videos to be in violation. Meta also noted that scammers are always changing their tactics to get around platform rules. How Can You Spot Deepfakes? According to Illinois State University identifying deepfakes can be difficult. Here are some things that could reveal whether a media file is deepfake or not. Skin Look at the cheeks and forehead. Does the skin look too smooth or too wrinkled? Does it match the person's age? Sometimes, deepfakes don't get these details right. Eyes and Eyebrows Check for natural shadows. Deepfakes can fail to correctly show how light and shadows work, making things look unnatural. Facial Hair Does a beard, mustache, or sideburns look real? Deepfakes can add or remove facial hair, but it might not look completely natural. Blinking and Lips Watch how the person blinks. Do they blink too much or not enough? Also, look at their lips. Do they match the size and color of the rest of their face? Deepfakes can often mess up these small details. Glasses Look for glare on their glasses. Is there too much glare? Does the glare change in a realistic way when they move? Fake videos often get this wrong. Moles If the person has a mole or other facial marks, do they look real? Deepfakes might not recreate them accurately. How Can You Identify Medical Misinformation? Before you can fight misinformation, you need to be able to recognize it. Here are some key things to check when you're looking at information online: Check the Source Look for a "Contact Us" or "About Us" page on the website. Is the website from a trustworthy place, like a university (.edu) or government (.gov)? What are the author's qualifications, and have they written other things? Also, consider who shared the information with you—are they a reliable source, like a healthcare professional? Read Past the Headline Headlines are often written to grab your attention. Make sure the actual article backs up the headline's claims. Watch out for authors who only use certain facts or take information out of context. Examine the Evidence Credible articles will back up their claims with facts and sources. If a story has no sources, that's a red flag. If it does, check them to see if you come to the same conclusions. Check the Date Sometimes people share old information that is no longer correct. Make sure the information is recent and relevant. Be Aware of Your Own Biases Think about your own beliefs. Are you looking at the information objectively, or just looking for things that agree with what you already think? Look for Satire If something sounds too outrageous to be true, it might be a joke. Some websites create funny, fake news stories for entertainment. If you are unsure, ask a doctor, scientist, or even a librarian for help. You can also use reliable fact-checking websites to see if something is true.

Deepfake Doctor Videos Are Pushing False Medical Advice, How Can You Identify Medical Misinformation

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