Elon Musk announces X’s enhanced image matching update to combat Deepfakes, Shallowfakes

PTC Web Desk: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced on Saturday a new update aimed at combating deepfakes and shallowfakes on the social media platform X. This update focuses on “improved image matching,” which will detect and flag similar or identical images in posts.

According to X, this enhancement will result in notes appearing on 30% more posts containing matching images. Elon Musk said this measure was expected to significantly reduce the spread of deepfakes and shallowfakes.

This should make a big difference in defeating deepfakes (and shallowfakes) https://t.co/rQ8mtBB9qr

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2024

The update has already been implemented, with X closely monitoring for any inaccuracies in image matches. Shallowfakes, which encompass manipulated photos, videos, and voice clips created without AI assistance, pose a significant challenge in the realm of misinformation.

X’s system automatically generates notes on images present in posts, and with this update, users can now view the number of posts matched by each note. This transparency provides users with valuable insights into the prevalence of content sharing identical images.

The introduction of this feature comes amidst concerns over fake news and deepfakes, particularly during global election periods. Experts, including the independent Oversight Board comprising 22 global human rights and freedom of expression experts, have underscored the urgency of addressing deepfakes to safeguard the integrity of elections worldwide.