‘Deepfake’ Queen delivers different Christmas speech in warning about misinformation

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The true British monarch historically delivers a Christmas Day speech aired around the globe.
However her speech on Friday at 3 p.m. was adopted by a digitally-created faux of the Queen, aired on Channel 4 and voiced by an actor, warning viewers to query “whether or not what we see and listen to is at all times what it appears.”

The broadcaster mentioned the video was supposed to supply “a stark warning in regards to the superior expertise that’s enabling the proliferation of misinformation and pretend information in a digital age.”

Channel 4 yearly accompanies the Queen’s conventional speech with an “different Christmas message.” This message has been aired since 1993.

It has lengthy attracted controversy. Earlier folks to have delivered the choice speech embrace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the previous president of Iran. Different notable invitees embrace US whistleblower Edward Snowden, Jesse Jackson and the kids who survived the 2017 Grenfell Tower fireplace.

However the 2020 iteration is reasonably totally different.

This 12 months Channel 4 employed VFX studio Framestore to create a faux Queen Elizabeth, who spoke candidly about private issues.

The video was manipulated utilizing synthetic intelligence expertise.

The deepfake Queen discusses Prince Harry and Meghan’s transfer to North America, saying: “There are few issues extra hurtful than somebody telling you they like the corporate of Canadians.”

The faux Queen additionally carried out a Tik Tok dance routine.

Queen Elizabeth says 'you are not alone' in annual Christmas speech

“Deepfake expertise is the horrifying new frontier within the battle between misinformation and reality,” Channel 4 Director of Programmes Ian Katz mentioned in a press release.

“This 12 months’s Various Christmas Tackle — seemingly delivered by some of the acquainted and trusted figures within the nation — is a robust reminder that we will now not belief our personal eyes.”

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However Sam Gregory, program director at WITNESS, a gaggle which practice activists around the globe to make use of video safely, cautioned towards exaggerating the menace from deepfake expertise.

“Deepfakes hype over-values (presently) hypothetical threats of excellent political deepfakes … over actual threats,” Gregory tweeted on December 24 in response to the information of the choice speech.

In her actual Christmas message, the Queen recommended frontline staff for his or her efforts in the course of the pandemic and supplied condolences to households who have been unable to have a good time collectively resulting from coronavirus-related restrictions.

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