Mother Jones: Deepfakes Could Finally Bring Accountability to Big Tech Companies

Long-frustrated efforts to crack down on harmful content on social media sites may finally get some momentum thanks to an unlikely source: counterfeit videos known as “deepfakes” that experts worry could undermine democracies around the world.

The House Intelligence Committee held its first-ever hearing on deepfakes Thursday, probing the implications of AI technology that can create realistic, counterfeit videos. At the hearing, members of Congress, including committee chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), argued that deepfakes could be justification for altering laws that exempt technology companies from legal liability for harmful content on their platforms.