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Politicians claiming real recordings are deepfakes
webCredibility Rating
4/5
High(4)High quality. Established institution or organization with editorial oversight and accountability.
Rating inherited from publication venue: Reuters
Relevant to AI safety discussions around the societal harms of deepfake technology, specifically the 'liar's dividend' phenomenon where AI misinformation risks extend beyond fake content to enabling denial of authentic evidence.
Metadata
Importance: 55/100news articlenews
Summary
This Reuters fact-check article examines cases where politicians falsely claim authentic recordings or videos of themselves are AI-generated deepfakes to escape accountability. It documents how the existence of deepfake technology creates a 'liar's dividend' where bad actors can dismiss genuine evidence as fabricated synthetic media.
Key Points
- •Politicians have increasingly invoked 'deepfake' claims to discredit authentic recordings of their own misconduct or embarrassing statements.
- •The existence of deepfake technology creates a 'liar's dividend': even real evidence can be dismissed as potentially fake, undermining accountability.
- •This trend poses serious risks to journalism, legal evidence standards, and democratic accountability mechanisms.
- •Fact-checkers and forensic analysts face growing challenges distinguishing genuine deepfake disclaimers from bad-faith denial of authentic media.
- •The problem illustrates how AI capabilities can be weaponized rhetorically even without actual use of the technology.
Cited by 1 page
| Page | Type | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Deepfakes | Risk | 50.0 |
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FILE PHOTO: U.S. golfer Harris English hits from the sand on the second hole during a practice round ahead of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia... [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab](https://www.reutersagency.com/en/licensereuterscontent/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead)Read more
(Reuters) - American Harris English has become the fifth player on the PGA Tour to test positive for COVID-19, the Tour said on Monday.
English, 30, was set to participate in this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club but was forced to withdraw from the event after testing positive during the pre-tournament screening process this week.
English joins compatriots Denny McCarthy, Cameron Champ and Nick Watney and South African Dylan Frittelli on the list of PGA Tour players who have tested positive in recent weeks since the Tour resumed earlier this month.
"While it's disappointing to receive this news, as I feel healthy, I'm pleased that the new safety protocols we have in place worked this week," English, who is set to self-isolate, said in a statement.
"I fully supported the Tour's new rule of not allowing anyone on the tournament grounds until testing negative, as protecting others in the field and everyone affiliated with the tournament and the community should be the No. 1 priority as a result of a positive test.
"I appreciate the Tour's support and I look forward to competing again after I'm fully recovered."
English did not compete last week at the Travelers Championship while Champ tested positive at a pre-tournament screening.
McCarthy tested positive and withdrew after the opening round of the event in Cromwell, Connecticut while Frittelli missed the cut.
The Rocket Mortgage Classic begins on Thursday.
Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge
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