FALSE and misleading health information online and on social media is on the rise, thanks to rapid developments in deepfake technology and generative artificial intelligence (AI).
This allows videos, photos and audio of respected health professionals to be manipulated – for example, to appear as if they are endorsing fake health-care products, or to solicit sensitive health information from Australians.
So, how do these kinds of health scams work? And what can you do to spot them?
From Medicare email and text phishing scams, to sales of fake pharmaceuticals, Australians are at risk of losing money – and damaging their health – from false advice.
An emerging area of health-related scams is linked to the use of generative AI tools to create deepfake videos, photos and audio recordings.
These deepfakes are used to promote fake health-care products or lead consumers to share sensitive health information with people they believe can be trusted.
A deepfake is a photograph or video of a real person, or a sound recording of their voice, that is altered to make the person appear to do or say something they haven’t done or said.
Author: Lisa M. Given, RMIT University
Theconversation.com.au
