Dangers of Deepfakes

Over the past decade, Africa has witnessed a technological boom. Countries like Nigeria have embraced e-commerce and other digital innovations, revolutionising how businesses operate and consumers access goods and services. Nigeria’s rapid technological advancement has made it  Africa’s most significant information and communication technology (ICT) market, accounting for approximately 82 per cent of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29 per cent of internet usage. The continent’s robust technological advancement has set the stage for cross-country knowledge transfer, creating a fertile environment for cross-country knowledge transfer and collaboration.

Despite technological advancements’ benefits to Africa, there are growing concerns about their dark side.  The rise of cybercrimes, such as fraud, identity theft, and, more alarmingly, deepfakes, poses significant risks to the continent’s peace, stability, and democracy. Deepfakes are hyper-realistic images, videos, or audio recordings that are digitally manipulated to show someone doing or saying things that never happened. It relies on neural networks to analyse large data samples, learning to replicate individual voices, facial expressions, mannerisms, and inflexions.

Political instability remains Africa’s significant concern. The continent has experienced nine major military coups since 2020. Countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which are all under military rule, are increasingly unstable, and there could be further coups in these countries. In 2023, Sub-Sahara Africa accounted for 48 per cent of the global deaths from terrorism. The emergence of deepfake technologies will likely fuel more instability on the continent. It has the potential to sow mistrust and confusion among citizens.

A notable example of the dangers deepfakes could pose occurred in Gabon in 2018. A video surfaced showing then-President Ali Bongo delivering his annual speech in a stiff and expressionless manner. There were allegations that the video may have been a deepfake, fuelling suspicions that the government might be hiding something.  Although it was never confirmed whether the video was manipulated, the damage was already done. Just a week later, the military attempted a coup, motivated in part by the belief that the video had been fabricated. While the coup was ultimately unsuccessful, it highlighted the role deepfake suspicions played in fuelling unrest.

Deepfake also threatens democratic countries in Africa. For example, during Nigeria’s 2023 election, voice recordings of the former presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and former Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal, circulated on social media. The recordings alleged that the three politicians were plotting to undermine the election, stirring up suspicion and unrest among voters. Although the politicians denied the authenticity of the audio, its circulation demonstrated the destabilising potential of deepfakes. Nigeria, already grappling with weak democratic institutions, corruption, and shrinking civil liberties, could see these challenges magnified as deepfakes increasingly blur the lines between reality and fabrication, potentially undermining trust in democratic processes.

In addition to threatening democracy, deepfakes can also empower criminal syndicates. In October 2023, cybercriminals used deep fake technology to impersonate the African Union (AU) Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamad, creating realistic fake videos and recordings. The criminals set up video calls through these counterfeit videos and recordings and engaged with European leaders. This shows how dangerous deep fakes can be, as criminals and terrorist groups could use them to their advantage.

Raising public awareness is one of the key strategies to combat the harmful effects of deepfakes. According to a survey by KnowBe4, 74 per cent of respondents from countries such as Botswana, Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa, and Kenya were deceived by deepfakes, and 48 per cent of Africans surveyed did not know what deepfakes were. These statistics highlight the urgent need for education and awareness around the dangers of deepfakes. One approach is to integrate lessons on deepfakes and emerging technologies into school curricula across the continent. Additionally, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the AU could collaborate on broader initiatives to raise awareness of the risks posed by deepfakes.

However, the challenge with deepfake is the lack of appropriate measures to address the issue. In 2024, the AU in 2014 adopted the Malabo Convention, a legal framework to combat cybercrimes and protect personal data. Various African countries also have laws addressing cybercrimes, but these laws do not adequately address deepfakes. One way to combat the harmful effects of deepfakes is raising awareness. According to a survey by KnowBe4, 74 per cent of respondents from Botswana, Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa, and Kenya fell for deepfakes. The survey result showed that 48 per cent of Africans were unaware of deepfakes, highlighting the need for increased public education. This can be done by encouraging countries to incorporate the education of deepfakes and other technologies into school curricula. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the AU should work together to raise awareness of the dangers of deepfakes.

One major problem with the Malabo Convention is its ratification. Despite the potential scope of the convention, only 14 members out of 55 AU members signed it, and 13 members ratified it as of March 2022. The reasons for the slow ratification from AU members range from political reasons to the lengthy ratification process and the lack of awareness among policymakers on the importance of cybersecurity protection. Therefore, there is a need for members to not only ratify the convention but incorporate deepfake into it. Doing so would prepare the continent to confront this evolving threat with a legal framework that directly targets deepfake technology.

In addition, news and media outlets across Africa should partner with technology companies to develop strategies for training journalists in detecting deepfakes. By equipping journalists with the tools and skills needed to spot fake content, they can play a critical role in educating the public and fact-checking information before it spreads. AI-powered detection tools can also be employed to distinguish real media from manipulated content. As deepfake technology is relatively new and will become more sophisticated over time, it is essential for African countries to understand how deepfakes works. This understanding will help policymakers develop appropriate laws and regulations to address deepfakes and safeguard against their potentially destabilising effects on security.