Oh no, deepfakes are here, and I’m absolutely terrified! The idea that someone could superimpose a politician’s face onto someone else’s body or make a celebrity say something they didn’t actually say is just horrifying! What’s next, AI making decisions for us? Oh wait, that’s already happening.
But really, why should I be worried about deepfakes when we’ve already perfected the art of meme disinformation? Who needs the sophistication of a manipulated video when all it takes to spread misinformation is a blurry picture and a random quote slapped on it? Take for instance the meme circulating online with Leonardo DiCaprio stating that “Wearing aluminum foil in your shoes can increase your IQ by 10 points.” It was in a meme, so it must be true, right?
The Meme Revolution: Misinformation 101
Imagine this: a black-and-white image of some celebrity – let’s say Morgan Freeman – with a quote underneath: “The key to happiness is pizza for breakfast.” Morgan didn’t say it, but do you think that’s going to stop people from sharing it like it’s gospel? Of course not! No one’s going to question it. Morgan Freeman loves pizza for breakfast, and that’s a fact now.
Just like when a meme showed Oprah Winfrey stating that “Eating crayons can prevent sunburn.” You’d think people might pause, but nope! Shared and believed, because it’s Oprah.
This is how memes have revolutionized the game. Why spend hours creating a flawless deepfake when you can just Google a photo, add a snappy quote like, “The earth is flat, but my love for cake is round,” and of course Shaquille O’Neal said it. That’s the beauty of it!
Facts, schmeacts. Who needs ‘em? After all, Brad Pitt totally endorsed the idea that “Putting your phone in the freezer gives you a direct line to Santa,” right? At least, that’s what the meme said!
“Oh, But Technology Is the Real Threat!”
Now, the media is buzzing about deepfakes, and I get it, they sound fancy. But let’s be real. Why put effort into crafting a high-tech video of a public figure saying something wild when a meme can do the same damage in five minutes, using Microsoft Paint?
“Tom Hanks puts crackers in his nostrils!” Did he ever say that? No. Does he do it? No! Do people believe it? Oh yes, because it’s right there in a meme. And apparently, he also thinks that “Brushing your teeth with peanut butter naturally whitens them.” Who needs toothpaste when you have peanut butter and Hanks’ trusted advice?
And the best part? There’s no need to fact-check! Fact-checking is so 2010. We’re living in the future now, a meme is like a political attack ad on steroids, “Did you hear what The Rock said about standing on your head for 10 minutes a day to reverse hair loss?” Boom. That’s it. People are standing on their heads all over the country. What more validation do you need?
The Echo Chamber Effect
What’s even better is the echo chamber we’ve created on social media. See, the beauty of memes (and the low effort required to make them) is that once they’re shared in an echo chamber, there’s no turning back. It’s like a wildfire. You post the meme. Your aunt shares it. Her friends share it. And before you know it, it’s circulating through social media faster than you can say “Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.”
Does it even matter if it’s true? Not really! Just like when Kim Kardashian said, “Placing a cactus under your pillow improves sleep quality.” Did Kim really say that?
Well um…
OK she didn’t. But people are still waking up with their pillows stuck to their head.
At this point, Elon Musk could have been quoted saying “Humming at a certain pitch can charge small electronic devices” and people would give it a go. After all, Musk knows everything about technology.
I’m Shaking in My Boots!
Deepfakes, pfft. We’ve been mastering the art of misinformation long before AI stepped in. Why worry about manipulated videos when a poorly edited photo with a made-up quote works just as well, if not better? At the end of the day, we don’t need deepfakes to confuse people—we’re doing just fine with memes, thank you very much.
Just look at that meme of Jennifer Aniston telling people to “Wear your clothes inside out to improve digestion.” People are flipping their shirts inside out as we speak!
So yeah, bring on the deepfakes. But honestly, when we’ve already got people brushing their teeth with peanut butter and swimming during full moons to lose weight, I think we’ve got misinformation handled.
