US Special Operations Command could use deepfakes soon

THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND, OR SOCOM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING AMERICA’S COMBINED SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES. SOCOM PLANS AND CARRIES OUT SOME OF OUR NATION’S MOST SECRETIVE MISSIONS.

ACCORDING TO RECENTLY AMENDED FEDERAL CONTRACTING DOCUMENTS, SOCOM WANTS TO ADD A FEW MORE TOOLS TO IT’S TOOLBOX; SPECIFICALLY USING THE INTERNET TO CONDUCT PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS EMPLOYING DEEPFAKE VIDEOS.

DEEPFAKES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME NOW. THEY’RE CREATED BY FEEDING A COMPUTER STREAMS OF INFORMATION AND THEN PROGRAMMING IT TO PROJECT SOMEONE’S LIKENESS IN AN IMAGE OR VIDEO.

DEEPFAKES CAN BE FUNNY. PLENTY OF LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOWS HAVE GOTTEN MILEAGE OUT OF THE TECHNOLOGY. BUT THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS, TOO. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT OFTEN WARNS OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH DEEPFAKE VIDEOS, LIKE THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION BY BAD ACTORS.

NOW SOCOM APPARENTLY WANTS TO TURN THOSE RISKS INTO RESOURCES AGAINST OUR ENEMIES.

THROUGH ITS MILITARY INFORMATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS, SOCOM IS LOOKING FOR PARTNERS TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES TO MORE EASILY COLLECT AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THROUGH SOCIAL AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS.

SOCOM IS ALSO ASKING FOR NEXT GENERATION DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY TO GENERATE MESSAGES AND INFLUENCE OPERATIONS VIA NON-TRADITIONAL CHANNELS. AND LASTLY, USING THE EVER-EXPANDING INTERNET OF THINGS, SOCOM WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HACK INTO ALMOST ANY DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AND SEE HOW WELL ITS POTENTIAL PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS ARE GOING.

THE PLANS TO ADD DEEPFAKES TO ITS REPERTOIRE COME AT A TIME OF INCREASED SCRUTINY ON THE TECHNOLOGY, AND WHETHER IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

CRITICS SAY WHILE THE WORLD IS DEALING WITH THE RISE IN DIGITAL PROPAGANDA, THE PENTAGON SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE, BECAUSE PUTTING OUT MORE FAKE VIDEOS JUST ERODES THE PUBLIC TRUST IN ANY VIDEO.

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