An absolutely shocking sight sweeps across social media: a large section of the Pentagon appears to have gone up in flames, sparking rumors of a terrorist attack. A video shared by several verified accounts depicts such a picture, and for a while, the stock market dives. However, this never happened, and was never real in the first place. This was simply an instance of an AI deepfake–one that shocked the world in May of 2023. What’s worse, this isn’t the first example of such far-fetched, yet realistic content. This is only one of the many extreme scenarios that have started since 2018.
AI-generated videos can usually be described as over-saturated, cartoony footage of hilariously unrealistic things, like a dog solving a Rubik’s cube, or a cardboard passenger plane in flight. Unfortunately, these videos have been getting more and more realistic. Some of these realistic depictions showcase famous politicians or important people saying inappropriate or completely false statements. In March of 2022, during the height of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a video surfaced. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was giving a national address, telling his troops to surrender.
Recently, new applications of law have been taken against AI deepfakes or similar content. Sections under the U.S. Criminal Code prohibit computer fraud and abuse, or other forms of fake content. Not to mention newer state laws, which often mention disclosing synthetic content in a disclaimer.
Still, this only covers the broader effects; we haven’t seen the personal reactions on a smaller scale. Let’s listen to students, past the headlines.
One freshman, Matthew Yeh, hadn’t recognized the term at first. After a quick reminder, he remembered he “might have seen them before.” However, he brought up how laws against deepfakes could prevent freedom of speech, implying it could be like an erroneous or misleading headline, similar to clickbait in an almost “useless or [mindless]” way.
On the other hand, Evans Diep thought differently. He knew what deepfakes were and their potential impact. Despite only being a freshman, he mentioned how “an executive order against deepfakes [was signed]” recently, referencing the Take It Down Act in May 2025. (The Take It Down Act was a federal policy passed against synthetic, non-consensual imagery.)
While all this action is taken, AI and other synthetic media will only get more realistic and mainstream. In the end, federal action matters–yet people still break laws, and even one post can greatly impact the world.
