PSA

In this unsettling video, former US President Barrack Obama supposedly gives a PSA, warning the public about the prevalence and consequent dangers of fake news. I use use the word unsettling because something about the way his face moves while he’s speaking, as well as his use of inappropriate language, doesn’t seem quite right. The reason for this is quickly discovered when the video reveals that it isn’t actually Obama making this announcement. The person behind the video was actually Oscar-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele – who also has a knack for impressions. Peele had used Adobe After Effects and FakeApp in order to superimpose his lips and the movements of his jaw onto Obama’s face giving a result that would have been believable if it didn’t fall into the infamous uncanny valley. Deepfake media such as this one had been at the center of public discussion once before when they were used to superimpose celebrity faces onto pornographic videos, but this video focuses on their potential as tools to promote the already dire issue of fake news and its effects on the country’s political climate. It also serves as a warning, showing that moving forward we can no longer rely on our senses to tell us the truth. This is because new A.I is providing a way to manipulate the things we see and hear to trick us into believing anything. It is a reminder of the dire need for individuals to improve their media literacy and to be skeptical of the things we see on the internet – no matter how convincing.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/obama-fake-news-jordan-peele-psa-video-buzzfeed#.aom2lKDM1K