WVXU: The ethical and privacy concerns over deep fakes and AI
Political scientist Richard Harknett weighs in on technological advances that fool the eye and ear
UC's cyber security expert Richard Harknett was a featured guest on a WVXU panel discussion on the dangers of deep fakes and other technologies that are meant to deceive.
Richard Harknett, professor and director of UC's School of Public and International Affairs. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Marketing + Brand.
Harknett, who heads UC’s School of Public and International Affairs, explains that deep fakes are the use of manipulated video and audio presentations to create visuals that are actually not real, but have increased in sophistication so much so that you can’t tell the difference.
He says that an early, and widely recognized, example of a deep fake, although not nefarious, was evident in the movie “Forrest Gump”, where the character was placed in scenarios he didn’t really attend (i.e., meeting President Kennedy). However, the use of technology to create falsehoods has a dark side that has advanced to the political and public sector.
“You wind up believing that message because you believe what you see,” says Harknett, noting that deep fake creators are growing in their sophistication to create perceptions about public figures and using it for criminal activity and unauthorized access.
The panel discusses how the sophistication of software now available to the public at low cost is increasing the practice. “Anyone can do it with applications on their personal computers,” he says.
Featured image at top courtesy of Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Ticks that survive pesticides can withstand colder winters
July 17, 2026
Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them expand their range farther north, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Why does it feel like so many Cincinnati restaurants close?
July 17, 2026
WLWT and the Cincinnati Enquirer cited UC research in reports on recent restaurant closures in the city.