The Perception of Deepfake Technology Among University Students in Malaysia

Abstract

It was alarming to know that a new technology (Deepfake) is paving the way to social media by demoralising popular people (celebrities) and others. It has badly affected reputation of many people without their knowledge and consent. It was decided to know about Deepfake technology at length and its extent in harming and hurting the people. A group of university students were randomly selected and administered through a questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised questions pertaining to awareness of deepfake and its consequences. The objectives of the study were to examine the emergence of Deepfake technology, the impact of Deepfake technology utility, and understanding the strategies to mitigate irresponsible usage of Deepfake technology among social media users. The descriptive data was analyzed using numbers and percentages. The major findings included its existence, impact on social media and strategies to mitigate irresponsible usage of Deepfake technology. A wider and larger diverse community using social media extensively will provide better results.