INTRODUCTION
Deepfakes are manipulated media, typically video or audio, created using artificial intelligence (AI) to superimpose a person’s likeness onto another’s body or use their voice. They can temporarily or permanently damage a person’s reputation by portraying them as engaging in activities or expressing opinions that they never actually did.
Even if the content is debunked later, the initial damage to the person’s reputation may linger. Here are ways you can mitigate the damage and repair and restore your reputation after a deepfake incident.
RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO A DEEPFAKE ATTACK
In today’s digital age, false information can spread rapidly. Once a deepfake is shared widely, it becomes increasingly difficult to control its spread or correct the misinformation.
That’s why you need to issue a public statement through the media and/or your social media accounts explaining that it is not you in the photo/video/audio and that you are likely the victim of a deepfake attack. At the same time, if there is anything offensive in the deepfake, you should denounce it.
For example, “I recently became aware of a fake [photo, video, audio recording] [purporting to be of my likeness, pretending to be me, etc.]. I want to assure everyone this is NOT me. If you know me, then you know I would never [do, say] anything this [offensive, hurtful, vulgar, etc.]. I believe I am a victim of an AI-generated deepfake attack, and I will be working with the police to find out who did this.”
Make sure to contact the police along with cybersecurity experts and a lawyer.
MONITOR AND RESPOND
Following your statement, you will need to frequently monitor online conversations and media coverage to promptly address any emerging issues or misinformation. For the former, it may include copying and pasting your statement into online conversations. For the latter, you may need to conduct interviews with the media to make sure your side of the story is heard.
Reach out to your network, which includes your friends, family and coworkers, among others. Make sure they all know what happened so they can help promulgate the correct information.
At the same time, you may need to raise awareness about deepfakes and their potential impact on individuals and organizations. One way is to cite other incidents of deepfake attacks that are similar to yours.
Although deepfake attacks are different from identity theft, you may want to ensure you have two-factor authentication on your accounts (bank, social media, email, other software) as an extra preventative measure.
EMPLOY REPUTATION-BUILDING STRATEGIES
Depending on the severity and duration of the incident, you may have a long road ahead in rebuilding your reputation. First, you should issue another statement that explains the clearing of your name without attacking those who attacked you.
For example, “On [date], the police announced that they determined the [photo, video, audio recording] was indeed an AI-generated deepfake, and they have a suspect. I am relieved that my name has been cleared. As I have repeatedly stated, I would never [do, say] anything this [offensive, hurtful, vulgar, etc.].”
Contact media outlets to set up interviews so that you can explain the resolution of the deepfake incident. The secondary benefit of this action is that you want links to the news stories to push down the negative ones in search engines.
Reconnect with your network and continue to correct erroneous posts you find online. It should hopefully be easier now that the truth has been discovered.
Lastly, consider taking positive actions that would strengthen your reputation as a good person. That could include volunteering to help victims that the deepfake targeted.