Civic education DEEPFAKE PHISHING What are deepfakes? A deepfake is technology that clones images and voices to spread false messages, threatening the reliability of information. This increasingly sophisticated trend is spreading on social media, posing serious risks to privacy, security, and reputation. A few examples Taylor Swift gives away a set of cookware, Tom Hanks promotes dental insurance, Joe Biden urges people not to vote in the primaries. It s not a joke, but deepfake: cloned images and voices circulating online, rapidly spreading via social media. The phenomenon is widespread in Italy, too. Just think of politicians and celebrities replicated by AI like Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte, Giorgia Meloni, Stefano De Martino or Michelle Hunziker that advertise a cheat investment: this is deepfake phishing, aiming at ruining someone s image or at duping people into doing something that is profitable for whoever put on the show. A solution? Denmark has just advanced a bill to protect against imitations, introducing copyright on body facial features and voice. It equates physical and vocal identity with works of art, offering previously lacking legal protection. If approved, it will be the first European law to protect individuals from digital impersonations of their identities. The proposal has already received broad political support, confirming the urgency of action. Adapted from: https:// www.wired.it/article/ deepfake-prima-leggeeuropea-copyright-corpo-vocedanimarca/ bill: proposta di legge to dupe: abbindolare lacking: mancante 15 Answer the questions. 1. What is the best definition of a deepfake according to the text? 2. What are some of the main risks associated with deepfakes? 3. Give two examples of fake advertisements mentioned in the text. 4. What is the goal of deepfake phishing? 16 5. What country is taking a new legal approach to deepfakes? 6. What legal concept is being proposed to protect against digital impersonations? 7. Would the new law make Denmark the first European country to protect people in this way? 8. Why has this new bill received strong political support? GROUP WORK Follow the instructions. 1. Split up into groups of four students. 2. Search for more information on the web about deepfake phishing. 3. Find some examples of deepfake phishing and describe them, highlighting differences and similarities. 286 People and instruments 4. Using the information collected and your own ideas, make a handbook to make people aware of the problem of deepfake phishing. 5. Share the handbook with classmates and get them to ask questions about the problem.