Altered reality: Stay ahead of manipulated content
August 17, 2018
August 17, 2018
It used to be relatively straightforward for platform companies to deal with manipulated content. When Twitter identified a fake celebrity account it could ban it while simultaneously providing an accreditation badge for the real one. YouTube could run a background match against unlicensed music and remove it. Algorithms could detect and flag photoshopped images. That was then. The new generation of manipulated media will be a lot harder to identify and subtler in its effect.
To get ahead of the problem, platform companies must act now. While technology will undoubtedly help, it is unlikely to provide a silver bullet.
New techniques to modify images, audio, and video will enable the creation of content that’s far more realistic and subtle than today’s more obvious fakes. What’s more, identity is becoming harder to validate, as trolls and bots adopt new ways to mask their true source. Sometimes the results will be harmless; but often the intent is malicious. And platform companies are coming under increased pressure and scrutiny to respond.
Accenture helps clients identify manipulated media using artificial intelligence and content services to protect reputations, brands and businesses. See more.
View TranscriptLeft unchecked, the implications for today’s platform companies could be profound across several fronts:
Platform companies should seek to mitigate exposure with a balanced series of activities across five key dimensions:
The problem of manipulated content isn't going away. In fact, it's only going to get worse. Companies therefore need to realize the degree and urgency of the problem and act now, before it's too late.