Addressing Deepfakes in the U.S. 2020 Elections

Deepfake Image


A virtual convening of leaders in technology, journalism, government, and academia.


 

UW Center for an Informed Public Logo

 

Microsoft Logo

 

 


In mid July, the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (CIP), together with Microsoft’s Defending Democracy Program, brought together leaders across different sectors for three days of roundtable discussions to discuss the impact of synthetic media and deepfakes on the upcoming 2020 U.S. elections. The convening brought together participants from technology, media, and academia in small groups to discuss the issues, tools, and strategies around mitigating the threats of synthetic media.

Following these sessions, the CIP will host a virtual event for the public about deepfakes and synthetic media awareness on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT.

Our panel of experts will combine perspectives from technology, journalism, and civil society to explain what deepfakes are, why we should care about them, and what individuals can do to counter their impact. We will also explore how deepfakes fit into broader conversations about disinformation, especially in the context of the upcoming U.S. elections. Our panelists for this event include:

  • Nina Schick, Political Broadcaster and Author
  • Corin Faife, Senior Program Coordinator, Emerging Opportunities & Threats, WITNESS
  • Ashish Jaiman, Director of Technical Operations, Microsoft
  • Moderator: Laura Ellis, Head of Technology Forecasting, BBC

This live event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams and open to the public.

JOIN THE EVENT: Click here.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Resources for further reading on deepfakes, synthetic media, and the disinformation ecosystem: