Once, a photo or video was considered strong evidence. Now, with deepfakes and AI-generated content, our eyes and ears can be tricked in ways that feel alarmingly real. From altered political speeches to fake “eyewitness” footage, synthetic media challenges our very sense of truth.
What’s at Stake
Politics: AI-generated videos could sway elections or discredit candidates.
Justice: Faked evidence risks undermining court cases and investigations.
Personal harm: Deepfake pornography and identity theft target individuals, often women, with devastating effects.
Trust collapse: If anything can be faked, everything becomes suspect — eroding confidence in real journalism.
Canadian Context
Elections: Concerns are rising about synthetic media shaping public opinion ahead of campaigns.
Media outlets: Struggle to verify sources quickly in a fast-paced news cycle.
Law enforcement: Canadian police and courts are only beginning to grapple with deepfakes as potential evidence.
Public literacy: Most Canadians have heard of deepfakes, but fewer can reliably spot them.
The Challenges
Detection tools lag behind creation tools.
Legal grey zones: Canadian law doesn’t yet fully cover synthetic identity misuse.
Platform responsibility: Social media often amplifies AI-generated hoaxes before they’re flagged.
Overcorrection risk: Declaring too much “fake” could silence authentic voices.
The Opportunities
Watermarking & standards: Push for AI content to be clearly labeled.
Education: Teach people to spot signs of manipulation and verify sources.
Policy innovation: Update laws to address harms like deepfake harassment and election interference.
Creative uses: Not all synthetic media is harmful — artists, educators, and even satirists use it constructively.
The Bigger Picture
We are entering an era where reality itself can be manufactured. The key question is not whether deepfakes exist, but how society adapts to their presence — balancing innovation with protection against harm.
The Question
How should Canada prepare for a future where truth can be synthetically generated — and what safeguards are essential to keep trust alive in our democracy?
Deepfakes, AI Content, and Synthetic Reality
When Seeing Isn’t Believing
Once, a photo or video was considered strong evidence. Now, with deepfakes and AI-generated content, our eyes and ears can be tricked in ways that feel alarmingly real. From altered political speeches to fake “eyewitness” footage, synthetic media challenges our very sense of truth.
What’s at Stake
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
We are entering an era where reality itself can be manufactured. The key question is not whether deepfakes exist, but how society adapts to their presence — balancing innovation with protection against harm.
The Question
How should Canada prepare for a future where truth can be synthetically generated — and what safeguards are essential to keep trust alive in our democracy?