Jumio Study Highlights Deepfake Concerns Amidst Upcoming Elections

Jumio, a provider of AI-driven identity verification and compliance solutions, has released significant findings from its Jumio 2024 Online Identity Study. The study reveals escalating concerns among Americans regarding the political influence of AI and deepfakes in the forthcoming elections, and their potential to undermine trust in online media.Deepfakes, the realistic yet fake media generated through AI and machine learning, can alter images, videos, or audio recordings to fabricate events and statements. This technology has the capacity to spread misinformation rapidly, deceiving viewers who often perceive these false narratives as genuine news.
Recent incidents underscore the tangible threat deepfakes pose to political processes. In February 2024, an audio deepfake imitating President Joe Biden was deployed in automated calls urging Democratic voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in the primary election. Another notable case involved a deepfake video of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak endorsing controversial policies he never supported, which quickly went viral. These examples illustrate how deepfakes can be weaponized to disrupt elections and erode public trust on a global scale.
Jumio’s comprehensive study surveyed over 8,000 adult consumers across the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, and Mexico, providing a global perspective on the impact of deepfakes. Key findings include:
72% of American consumers express concern about AI and deepfakes potentially influencing upcoming elections in their country.70% of U.S. consumers report increased skepticism in the online content they encounter, compared to the last election, due to deepfakes undermining trust in politicians and media.Only 46% of global consumers believe they could easily identify a deepfake of a political figure or celebrity, with confidence dropping to 37% in the U.S. and further declining with age—only 22% of Americans aged 55 or older trust their ability to spot deepfakes.Merely 43% of global consumers trust political news they see online, with Americans being even less trusting at 32%.
Jumio CEO Robert Prigge emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue, stating, “With half of the global population participating in elections this year, the potential influence and impact of generative AI and deepfakes demand our immediate attention. Public faith in online information is crumbling, demanding a transparent discourse to confront this challenge and empower citizens with the tools to discern and report deepfakes. Online platforms hold a critical duty to leverage cutting-edge detection measures like multimodal, biometric-based verification systems to fortify our defenses against deepfakes influencing pivotal elections.”
As the election season approaches, the findings from Jumio’s study highlight the critical need for robust measures to detect and mitigate the influence of deepfakes. The emphasis on improving public awareness and trust in online information is paramount to preserving the integrity of democratic processes worldwide.