Deepfakes And Synthetic Media
17 pages · 25 min read
Guide · 17 pages · 25 min read · Published 2026-08-31
Read this guide on your phone, browse guides by topic or go back to the full PDF library.
17 pages · 25 min read
DEEPFAKES & SYNTHETICMEDIA · AGUIDEFORUKLAWYERS Deepfakes and Synthetic Media Fake Video, Cloned Voices and the Liar's Dividend: Authenticating the Real COMPUTERFORENSICSLAB § ABOUTTHEAUTHOR PRE PA REDBYCOMPUTERFORENSICSLABE - DISCOVERYTEAM AUDIO & VIDEO AUTHENTICATION CPR PART 35 EXPERT REPORTS FULL CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY DOCUMENTATION § CONTENTS In this guide 01 Executive summary 02 The problem in plain English: seeing is no longer believing 03 How synthetic media is made and misused 04 Detecting generation and manipulation in the media 05 Provenance and authenticating the genuine 06 The liar's dividend and honest limits 07 Deployment: fabrication, denial and the burden of proof 08 Source architecture: where else the evidence lives 09 Worked examples 10 Common mistakes and technical limitations 11 Questions to ask · Suggested wording 12 Checklist and red flags · When to involve a digital forensic expert 13 Frequently asked questions 14 Glossary · References · Disclaimer · How a specialist laboratory can assist § 0 1 · ORIENTATION Executive summary The headline point: AI can now fake video, voice and images convincingly, creating two dangers, the fake media forensics and provenance, with conclusions stated at honest confidence in either direction. § 0 2 · FIRSTPRINCIPLES The problem in plain English: seeing is no longer believing § 0 3 · HOWITISMADEANDMISUSED How synthetic media is made and misused § 0 4 · DETECTINGINTHEMEDIA Detecting generation and manipulation in the media § 0 5 · PROVENANCEANDTHEGENUINE Provenance and authenticating the genuine § 0 6 · THELIAR ' SDIVIDENDANDHONESTLIMITS The liar's dividend and honest limits § 0 7 · DEPLOYMENT Deployment: fabrication, denial and the burden of proof § 0 8 · THEWIDERMAP Source architecture: where else the evidence lives CORROBORATING CAPTURE NATIVE PLATFORM / CONTEMPORANEOUS EVENT SOURCE DEVICE ORIGINAL ACCOUNT RECIPIENTS CORROBORATION THE MEDIA FILE GPS § 0 9 · INTHEWILD Worked examples EXAMPLE1 · THECLONED - VOICECALLTHATHADNOORIGIN EXAMPLE2 · THELIAR ' SDIVIDENDREFUSED EXAMPLE3 · THEHONEST , BOUNDEDFINDING § 1 0 · WHEREITGOESWRONG Common mistakes and technical limitations Common mistakes Technical limitations § 1 1 · INTERROGATORIES & DRAFTINGAIDS Questions to ask · Suggested wording Ask your client Ask your opponent Ask your eDiscovery / forensic provider SUGGESTEDWORDING · INSTRUCTIONFORASYNTHETIC - MEDIAEXAMIN AT ION § 1 2 · QUICKCONTROL Checklist and red flags · When to involve a digital forensic expert The synthetic-media checklist Red flags When to involve a digital forensic expert § 1 3 · COMMONQUESTIONS Frequently asked questions Can you just run a deepfake detector and get an answer? How do you prove a video or recording is fake? The other side says our genuine recording is a deepfake. What do we do? Does a clean forensic result mean the recording is genuine? Why does it matter whether we have the original file? Who has to prove whether it is real or fake? § 1 4 · REFERENCE Glossary Sources and authoritative references DISCLAIMER § HOWASPECIALISTLABORATORYCANASSIST Working with Computer Forensics Lab Speak to a forensic examiner, not a salesperson. INSTRUCTTHELAB NEWENQUIRIESEMAILE - DISCOVERY
Whether you are responding to a regulator, preparing for disclosure, or scoping an internal investigation, start the chain of custody with a short, confidential conversation.