Navigating the Deepfake Threat: Cybersecurity, Ethical Implications, and Legal Challenges in the Age of Synthetic Media

Abstract

There has been a popular dialogue about the authenticity of computer-generated content over the years using AI mechanisms such as deepfake technology that not only revolutionized but also wide-speeded how we generate and distribute digital materials. Not only have deepfakes become more realistic thanks to the use of more complex models, but they have also been born as an entirely new digital trajectory. The new version of the existing technology has been groundbreaking for various purposes like entertainment, accessibility, or even education; however, at the same time, it presents the greatest league of security, and ethical issues. The use of deepfake digital manipulation material by malicious individuals posing as other people for misinformation or scam purposes has caused the reliability of digital forms of trust and security to diminish over time and become non-existent.