Deepfake technology has taken the world by storm. What started as a technological novelty has grown into a phenomenon that evokes both admiration and concern. Deepfakes are videos in which people’s faces and voices are digitally manipulated to make them say or do things they never actually did. Below we discuss the top 10 most famous deepfakes that have turned the world upside down.
1. Obama PSA Deepfake
In 2018, the world was shaken by a video in which former President Barack Obama warned about the dangers of deepfakes. The video was created by BuzzFeed in collaboration with actor and director Jordan Peele. In the video, Obama appears to be giving a serious speech, but it soon becomes clear that it is actually Peele lending his voice to the digital version of Obama. This deepfake went viral and opened the eyes of millions of people to the potential and risks of deepfake technology.
2. Mark Zuckerberg Deepfake
In 2019, a deepfake video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared, in which he bragged about having control over stolen data from billions of people. This video was created by the art collective Bill Posters and Daniel Howe. The intention was to criticize the power of tech giants and bring attention to privacy issues.
3. Nancy Pelosi Deepfake
One of the most controversial deepfakes was that of Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. Speaker of the House. In the video, it seemed as if Pelosi was drunk and speaking incoherently. The incident highlighted the need for fact-checking and media literacy in the digital age.
4. Tom Cruise TikTok Deepfakes
Tom Cruise became the victim of a series of deepfake videos that went viral on TikTok. In these videos, ‘Cruise’ did everyday things like golfing and performing magic tricks. The videos were so realistic that many people initially believed them to be real.
These deepfakes were created by deepfake artist Chris Ume and served as a powerful demonstration of how far the technology has advanced.
5. Jon Snow Apology Deepfake
After the controversial end of the popular TV series Game of Thrones, a humorous deepfake video appeared in which the character Jon Snow apologized for the final season. This video was created by CollegeHumor and was intended as a light-hearted joke for the fans.
6. Welmoed Sijtsma Deepfake
Welmoed Sijtsma is a Dutch presenter whose face was used without her consent in a deepfake porn video. In the four-part documentary series “Welmoed and the Sex Fakes,” she investigated the origin of this video and what can be done about it.
7. Volodymyr Zelensky Deepfake
A serious application of deepfake technology was a video in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on his troops to surrender. This example showed how deepfakes can be misused for disinformation and propaganda, especially in times of conflict. It highlighted how dangerous and destabilizing fake news can be.
8. Bill Hader Deepfake
Actor Bill Hader was the subject of a series of deepfake videos in which he impersonated the voices of celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
9. Queen’s Christmas Speech
Channel 4, a British television channel, created an alternative Christmas speech by Queen Elizabeth II as a critical look at fake news and technology. In this deepfake, the queen deviated from her usual protocols, causing much uproar. The goal was to raise public awareness about the authenticity of information and the responsibility of the media.
10. Morgan Freeman Deepfake
A controversial deepfake of actor Morgan Freeman giving a racist speech showed the dangers of reputational damage and the potential to publicly harm someone’s image. Such deepfakes can have serious consequences for the individuals involved and their careers.
