Deepfakes: Awareness, Concerns, and Platform Accountability

A 61 question survey was used to examine issues around "deepfake" technology. In total, 319 respondents answered questions around awareness, concerns, and the responsibility of online platforms around deepfakes. Awareness of deepfakes varies by intensity and type of social media use. Concerns about deepfakes are pronounced, but not uniform. A regression model examines the factors impacting the perceived responsibility of online platforms to regulate deepfakes. General concerns and the impacts people believe deepfakes will make are significant. However, the more humorous aspects of deepfakes and a perception of individual responsibility negatively impact the perceived need for platforms to address the risks of deepfakes. There is little confidence in the ability of technology to solve the problem of deepfakes, but this does not reduce the desire for online platforms to implement a deepfake identification technology. This research has implications for users of social media, social media platforms, technology developers, and broader society.