Last month, Princess Catherine announced her cancer diagnosis in a video that caused skepticism and conspiracy theories to spread online. Getty Images added a note beside the video saying it may not adhere to their editorial policy, leading to doubts about its authenticity. Despite this, researchers found no evidence that the video was a deepfake, and news agencies are being transparent about the source of their content. Getty says the caption is a standard editors’ note, and other agencies also use such notes routinely for clarity.
Kensington Palace did not produce the video alone; a branch of the BBC filmed the message at Windsor on March 20. Computer science professor V.S. Subrahmanian ran the video through algorithms to detect manipulation and found no compelling evidence that it was fake. Getty’s transparency effort inadvertently fueled conspiracy theories, despite the video appearing natural and unlikely to be fake. Photo agencies are serious about claims of doctored images and have severed ties with photographers who have altered their work.
Photo agencies have concerns about public figures using handouts to control the narrative, leading to increased transparency efforts like Getty’s editors’ note. Before her cancer announcement, photo agencies caused controversy when they said a photo of Catherine had been manipulated, leading to a reevaluation of sources and the trustworthiness of content. The Associated Press issued a “kill notice” for the photo, prompting news agencies to reassess their policies and the believability of images. There is a trust deficit in society, with deepfakes having the potential to widen it further.
Following the announcement of Princess Catherine’s cancer diagnosis, disinformation spread online and was amplified by conspiracy theories about the video’s authenticity. While Getty Images added a note beside the video expressing it may not adhere to their editorial policy, researchers found no evidence that it was a deepfake. The video was filmed by a branch of the BBC and analyzed by algorithms, showing no signs of manipulation. Despite this, transparency efforts by photo agencies inadvertently fueled conspiracy theories and forced a reevaluation of their policies.
Photo agencies take claims of doctored images seriously and have severed ties with photographers who have altered their work. They often rely on “handout” content provided by groups involved in a story when sending their own photographers is difficult. News agencies have concerns about public figures trying to control the narrative through handouts, leading to increased transparency efforts like Getty’s editors’ note. A previous incident involving a manipulated photo of Catherine prompted news agencies to rethink sources and the believability of images in today’s society.
There is a general trust deficit in society, particularly in the United States, which can be exacerbated by deepfakes. The potential for deepfakes to widen this trust deficit led researchers, news agencies, and photo agencies to reevaluate their policies and transparency efforts. Despite concerns about manipulated content and conspiracy theories, agencies strive to provide accurate and trustworthy information to the public. The episode involving the photo of Catherine highlighted the challenges of verifying and trusting content in today’s digital age.
