Protecting the Public from Abusive Synthetic Content?
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According to a recent survey, adults are able to identify only about 50% of deepfake videos.? Synthetic content that’s been made or edited with AI is rapidly becoming more prevalent and more advanced. Our laws and policies need to evolve to keep pace with this technology, which will require a whole-of-society effort. In Microsoft’s new white paper, Protecting the Public from Abusive AI-Generated Content , we delve into how we think this can be achieved and provide recommendations for U.S. policymakers on new policies and legislation to combat abusive AI-content. ?
At Microsoft, we believe policymakers, civil society leaders, and the technology industry all have unique and complementary roles to play in taking action against abusive synthetic content.?
As a technology company and AI leader, we recognize that we have a special responsibility to lead while also continuing to collaborate with others. The actions we’re taking to combat abusive AI-generated content fall into six broad buckets, outlined in the graphic below.??
As synthetic content continues to become more prevalent and more advanced, increased federal support will be required to adequately resource the agencies responsible for dealing with these potential harms as well as those directly affected by them. Microsoft has identified three overarching goals when it comes to protecting the public against abusive synthetic content, based on populations and activities that face disproportionate risk.??
Protect our elections??
As we covered in a previous edition of our Spotlight on AI newsletter , more people and countries will vote for their elected leaders in 2024 than in any year in human history. In 2023, deepfakes may have impacted at least two elections — in Slovakia, a deepfake audio recording in which one of the candidates seemed to brag about rigging the election went viral two days before polls opened.??
Microsoft recommends that the U.S. Congress pass the bipartisan Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act, which prohibits the use of AI to generate “materially deceptive content” in political ads. It’s also important for lawmakers and policymakers to take steps to expand our collective abilities to promote content authenticity, detect and respond to abusive deepfakes, and give the public the tools to learn about synthetic AI harms.?
Protect seniors and consumers from online fraud.??
Even before the advent of generative AI, financial fraud scams were growing exponentially, overwhelming police and prosecutors. Online and telephone scams are particularly commonplace. The most frequent targets for scammers are older Americans who hold more wealth as a group and are often seen as ripe targets. In 2023, imposter scams resulted in total losses of $2.7 billion.??
It's important that our lawmakers take action to protect the public by updating our laws and policies to reflect changes in technology. Congress should enact a new federal “deepfake fraud statute,”, and federal agencies should take action to hold fraudsters accountable. The government should also fund federal and state programs to educate the public, specifically targeted to high-risk groups including older adults and young people.?
Protect women and children from online exploitation?
In 2022, there were more than 32 million reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from around the world, an 87% increase over 2019. Synthetic CSAM is not only inherently harmful, it can also overwhelm law enforcement, preventing them from taking action against perpetrators of non-synthetic CSAM. Non-consensual intimate imagery is also a growing problem, with 61% of women are concerned about being victimized by deepfake pornography.??
In addition to ongoing technological efforts to identify and root out synthetic CSAM and non-consensual intimate imagery, Congress should update CSAM laws and pass a new federal statute to address non-consensual intimate imagery. State policymakers should also modernize existing criminal law so that any attempts to generate synthetic CSAM are criminalized.?
The ways synthetic content harms manifest will evolve, and new harm areas will likely emerge. It will take a collaborative, ongoing effort to stay on top of these evolving threats. Government, civil society, and private sector must work together to make sure public awareness, laws, and technological guardrails keep pace with these harms.??
Learn more about what Microsoft is doing to take action against abusive synthetic content, and our policy recommendations for protecting the public from abusive AI-generated content . ?
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Digital Creative Strategy | Product + Brand Storytelling | Coursera Instructor | Generative AI Prompt Engineer |
2 个月Well needed initiative. The danger with synthetic and abusive content is it’s flirting with core first amendments rights. What can people say, not say, and how does Gen AI especially amplify people’s ability to speak in various forms. People often underestimate how influential disinformation can be; an AI image showing someone shaking hands with someone they’ve never met, a fake voice note of a candidate promoting harmful policies or a letter written in a public figures voice and even signed with a fake signature. It’s crucial that legislation gets put in place to limit the spread of this type of content. Our society depends on it, if we want to responsibly deploy AI, and reap its benefits.
Enhancing candidate experience to strengthen your company brand | Global Talent Manager | Growing Startups | DE&I Champion ??| Ex-Microsoft, AWS, OneTrust, DigiCert
3 个月Wonderful initiative to protect us against Abusive generated AI Content - very much needed - Thank you Microsoft
The huge inflow of Abusive (violent or fake) Synthetic image and video creation needs to be controlled indeed on all digital platforms. If not what is the "reality" that we will still trust as humans? What if humans consider all digital signals as untrustworthy or harmful??
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3 个月I think it’s really cool that Microsoft has taken a strong stance against the dangers of synthetic content and deepfakes. It’s a reminder that technology companies have a responsibility beyond just creating products—they have the power to lead by example. As AI technology advances, it’s crucial that other companies join in this effort. At the end of the day, it’s we, the people, who have the power to stand together against something that could disproportionately affect the most vulnerable sectors of our society. Collaboration is key. The world is watching, and it’s not just about what a brand sells—it’s about what it stands for. Are these companies only about money and success, or are they truly committed to innovation that benefits our collective evolution? We need to see more than just products; we need to see purpose.