VidCon Kicks Off In Anaheim With Panel On 'Deepfakes'
ANAHEIM (CBSLA) — The world's biggest conference of online video and digital creators started off with a serious subject – so-called "deepfake" videos.
The 10th annual VidCon -- which has for years brought together the online video fans and creators with representatives from YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok and other online giants -- kicked off Thursday with panel on deepfake videos.
Deepfakes have proliferated online with technology that allowed anyone to change real images and make people say anything. Concern has been on the rise because such clips have become easier to make and harder to detect.
"It's scary. It's scary. It's definitely something to be aware of," said one mother. She and several other parents accompanied their teens, who were more excited to meet their favorite online video stars.
Fake video clips usually feature figures of authority, like President Trump, Barack Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. They can be entertaining, but some parents are concerned at how they influence their children.
"It's something that's very prevalent in their generation, and it's important to be very involved and know and learn about what is going on," another mom said.
The panel walked through how to detect deepfakes, profit on them, and what parents need to know.
"We're always faced with information, and processing information, so I think they just have to know fake things are out there, fake news is out there," mother Kyndaron Reiner said. "If they can figure it out at this age, they're gonna be in great shape by the time they're adults."