Deepfakes and Scientific Knowledge Dissemination

Abstract

Science misinformation on topics ranging from climate change to vaccines have significant public policy repercussions. Artificial intelligence-based methods of altering videos and photos (deepfakes) lower the barriers to the mass creation and dissemination of realistic, manipulated digital content. The risk of exposure to deepfakes among education stakeholders has increased as learners and educators rely on videos to obtain and share information. We detail the results of the first study to understand the vulnerabilities of education stakeholders to science deepfakes and the characteristics that moderate vulnerability. We ground our study in climate change and survey individuals from five populations spanning students, educators, and the adult public. Our sample is nationally representative of three populations. We found that 33% to 50% of individuals cannot distinguish between authentic videos and deepfakes. All populations exhibit vulnerability to deepfakes, but vulnerability varies with age, political orientation, and trust in information sources. Adults and educators exhibit greater vulnerability compared to students, indicating that those providing education are especially susceptible. Vulnerability increases with more exposure to potential deepfakes, suggesting that deepfakes become more pernicious without interventions. Our results suggest that focusing on the social context in which deepfakes reside is one promising strategy for combatting deepfakes.

Belief updating when confronted with scientific evidence: Examining the role of trust in science

“…In addition, Graso et al (2022) found that individuals with high trust in the science of COVID-19 believed that even unsupported claims about COVID-19 would be supported by scientific evidence. Such findings are also in line with recent studies by Xiao et al (2021) and Doss et al (2023), who found that individuals with high trust in specific information sources (e.g. social media) are more vulnerable to being manipulated by these sources (e.g.…”

“…social media) are more vulnerable to being manipulated by these sources (e.g. by deepfake videos; Doss et al, 2023).…”