Ideas worth spreading

How deepfakes undermine truth and threaten democracy

3,510,805 views | Danielle Citron • TEDSummit 2019

The use of deepfake technology to manipulate video and audio for malicious purposes -- whether it's to stoke violence or defame politicians and journalists -- is becoming a real threat. As these tools become more accessible and their products more realistic, how will they shape what we believe about the world? In a portentous talk, law professor Danielle Citron reveals how deepfakes magnify our distrust -- and suggests approaches to safeguarding the truth.

The use of deepfake technology to manipulate video and audio for malicious purposes -- whether it's to stoke violence or defame politicians and journalists -- is becoming a real threat. As these tools become more accessible and their products more realistic, how will they shape what we believe about the world? In a portentous talk, law professor Danielle Citron reveals how deepfakes magnify our distrust -- and suggests approaches to safeguarding the truth.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Follow Danielle Citron on Twitter.

Learn more about the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. The organization works with federal lawmakers to criminalize digital forgeries like deepfakes that damage reputations, invade privacy and cause other harm — and to amend Section 230.

About the speaker

Danielle Citron

Danielle Citron

Law professor, deepfake scholar

See speaker profile

Danielle Citron writes, speaks and teaches her academic loves: privacy, free speech and civil rights. Through her work with privacy organizations, she also puts these ideas into practice.

Danielle Keats Citron | Harvard University Press, 2016 | Book

Hate Crimes in Cyberspace

A guide to understanding cyber stalking's pernicious impact, especially for women and minorities — and a plan for law, tech companies and individuals to tackling it.

Robert Chesney and Danielle Citron | California Law Review, 2019 | Article

"Deep Fakes: A Looming Crisis for Privacy, Democracy, and National Security"

A comprehensive road map of the problems raised by deep fakes and potential responses.

Danielle Citron | Yale Law Journal, 2019 | Book

"Sexual Privacy"

Why sexual privacy is a foundational privacy interest and how privacy invasions like deep fake sex videos imperil autonomy, dignity and intimacy — and how law and markets can respond.

Danielle Citron | Michigan Law Review | Article

"Cyber Mobs, Disinformation, and Death Videos: The Internet As It Is (and As It Should Be)"

A review of Nick Drnaso's graphic novel Sabrina as a way to understand how cyber mobs can undermine truth and privacy in our networked age.

Danielle Citron and Benjamin Wittes | Fordham Law Review, 2017 | Article

"The Internet Will Not Break: Denying Bad Samaritans"

Tech platforms are immune from most liability thanks to Section 230. That can and should be changed.

Robert Chesney and Danielle Citron | Foreign Affairs, 2019 | Article

"Deep Fakes and the New Disinformation War"

The national security challenges of deep fakes.

Danielle Citron | Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, 2018 | Book

"Section 230's Challenge to Civil Rights and Civil Liberties"

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Follow Danielle Citron on Twitter.

Learn more about the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. The organization works with federal lawmakers to criminalize digital forgeries like deepfakes that damage reputations, invade privacy and cause other harm — and to amend Section 230.