Deepfake is a notorious technology which could spread misinformation and besmirch the reputation. It takes a person’s image and animates it. It then enables the animated image to mouth whatever the software directs it to say in the voice of that person.

To illustrate its misuse, Channel 4, a broadcaster in Britain put on air the Queen’s Christmas address , in which she is less royal and dances a gig. It is obvious that Queen herself would never do such a parody. It was done through Deepfake.

This technology makes the real indistinguishable from the fake. It is misleading. There could be confusion between what is authentic and what is fake. It is purported to be genuine and a viewer is at a disadvantage. Editorial validation before the material is published is the only safeguard. It is carried out in professional news organisations but is not available on social media.