X Rolls Out Enhanced Image-Matching Tech to Tackle Deepfakes

On May 3, 2024, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced that social media platform X has released an update featuring improved image-matching technology to combat deepfakes and shallowfakes. This update will display notes on 30% more posts containing "similar or identical images."

Why this matters: This update is crucial in the fight against misinformation and disinformation, which can have significant consequences on global events and democratic processes. By providing users with greater transparency and context around the prevalence of identical or similar images, X aims to empower users to make informed decisions about the content they consume.

"We just rolled out the update and will be monitoring for any erroneous image matches," X said in a post. Musk tweeted, "Should make a big difference in defeating deepfakes (and shallowfakes)."

Shallowfakes are photos, videos, and voice clips generated without the help of artificial intelligence (AI), using widely available editing and software tools. In contrast, deepfakes leverage AI to create highly realistic but fake content.

X notes on images automatically show on posts that contain a matching image. These notes can match dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of posts. With the update, users can now see how many posts an image note is matching on in the note details.

This update comes at a critical time, as experts have warned about the spread of fake news and deepfakes during the global election season. The independent Oversight Board, comprising 22 global human rights and freedom of expression experts, has called for urgent action to tackle deepfakes threatening global elections.

X's enhanced image-matching technology aims to provide users with greater transparency and context around the prevalence of identical or similar images shared on the platform. By flagging and noting a higher percentage of posts containing matching content, X seeks to equip users with the information needed to critically evaluate the authenticity and origins of the media they encounter.

Key Takeaways

• Elon Musk's X releases update with improved image-matching tech to combat deepfakes and shallowfakes.
• Update displays notes on 30% more posts with "similar or identical images" to combat misinformation.
• X aims to empower users to make informed decisions about content with greater transparency and context.
• Shallowfakes are edited content without AI, while deepfakes use AI to create realistic fake content.
• Update comes at a critical time, as experts warn about fake news and deepfakes during global election season.