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Deepfake technology are artificial intelligence synthesized fakes in which its purpose is to create realistic videos and audio. Deep fakes have raised significant concern about its potential and impact in our world. Due to its potential to manipulate and superimpose faces and audio onto existing videos and images, deep fakes create convincing yet false content. For a while now, deep fakes have been used in entertainment. For example, during the filming of Fast and Furious’ movie “Fast 7” actor Paul Walker died in a car accident. Deep fake-like technology allowed the filmmakers to shoot Paul Walker’s brother in a car and edit Paul Walker’s face on him, making it look like Paul Walker was actually there.

The technology behind the creation of deepfakes consist of computers or other machines learning algorithms and neural networks. From databases, algorithms are trained to analyze and learn images and videos to generate realistic facial expressions, movements, etc. Because deepfakes are created by a computer, people have the capability to create deep fakes and use them to spread misinformation. Going forward, deep fake videos have the ability to be used to spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion and potentially even damage individuals and organizations. Besides images and videos, fabricated audio is also raising concerns in the aspect that some of the synthetic voices are difficult to tell the real from the fake. Fabricated audio, as well as images and videos, can potentially be harmful due to privacy and security reasons. Similarly to how deep fake videos are created, deep fake audio is created by using a dataset of voice samples in which the neural network learns how to take that person’s voice and “paste” it onto another person. In today's time where social media is a main method for communication, it is important for users to know about deep fakes, and learn how to spot what is fake and what is real. Besides deep fakes, cheap fakes are a cheaper alternative to deep fakes, in which they are popular on social media.

As previously mentioned, to create a deep fake it takes artificial intelligence and algorithms to create realistic and convincing content. However, cheap fakes require basic editing or sometimes the editing is done for you. For example, Instagram filters or Tik Tok sounds can be considered cheap fakes. Just as how deep fakes are created by artificial intelligence and trained neural networks, to detect deep fakes the same method is used. The key is to train the neural network and algorithm to do what you train it to do.

As a country divided by religion, politics and other areas, it is extremely concerning for the potential of deep fakes. The ability for anyone to manipulate videos, images and audio is concerning because it can result in a serious spread of misinformation. Especially in today’s time where someone can post something on the internet, especially social media, a mass amount of people can see it in a short period of time. As journalists, the rise of deep fake creations should be concerning as well. Manipulated videos, images and audio can damage the credibility of news sources. Overall, deep fakes make it a lot more difficult for journalists to determine what is real and what has been manipulated. It is extremely important for journalists to be aware of new technology that can be altered, and always verify sources and fact check.

Generally, deep fakes are created by highly intelligent computers, therefore, whoever has access to deep fake technology can alter content regardless of where one lives. Countries like the United States, China and Russia are using deep fake technology and have been caught in creating content to manipulate elections. Deep fakes can hurt us by damaging reputations, spreading misinformation and destroying trust between the public and the media.

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Impact of Viral Videos

Viral videos have had a tremendous impact on how we view the world. Viral videos are a powerful tool for spreading information in a short amount of time, and can lead to the construction of public opinion. In the past, the way news was delivered was through traditional media such as television, radio and newspapers. However, now with advanced technology and various social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok, anyone with a phone can capture live events and share it with the world. The power and impact of normal people being able to capture live events with their phones/cameras gives them the ability to become citizen journalists. As previously mentioned, viral videos have the ability to go viral in a short amount of time and reach a massive audience. The reasoning as to why certain types of videos go viral is because they contain raw and unfiltered content that might not have been covered by the media. It also allows different angles and perspectives to be seen as well. One recent example of this was the Montgomery riverfront brawl, where many viral videos were posted on social media platforms. However, it is important to note that viral videos can also be misleading by only capturing a specific moment in an event, resulting in controversy and misinformation. 

In the Kentucky High School Students and the Native American Vietnam Veteran incident that occurred January 2019, a group of high school students from Covington Catholic High School went to Washington D.C. for an anti-abortion rally while wearing “Make America Great Again” red hats. While rallying, the students encountered a group of Black Hebrew Israelites, due to viral videos, they were seen taunting the high school students by shouting racist slurs and in a mean disrespectful manner. The event followed by the encounter of Vietnam veteran Nathan Phillips and high school student Nick Sandman. The viral video of the encounter showed a smirking Sandman standing face to face with a drumming Phillips. According to Reuters article, “Students in Trump hats mock Native American; school apologizes” on a video shared on social media, shows Phillips describing the actions of the high schoolers. “I heard them saying ‘build that wall, build that wall’, " said Phillips. After the video went viral, it caused a great controversy because some media outlets and people accused the students of being racially insensitive. However the other side disputed how they were unfairly judged due to the short clip. Overall, this incident covered situations of race, white privilege and how the media can cover such events based on their opinions. 

Left leaning media covered the incident with a focus on a racial standpoint. For instance, they focused on highlighting the disrespect towards Phillips by the students. The Vox article, “The real politics behind the Covington Catholic controversy explained '' points out how left-liberal commentators defended the viral video and pointed out how the high school students made racist gestures towards the protesters. Right leaning media approached the coverage of the incident by emphasizing how the viral footage portrayed the high schoolers unfairly and how the whole situation was blown out of proportion by the mainstream media. Right leaning media also highlighted the importance of full context rather than a short clipping. In the Deplorable Kel article, “Fact Check: Did MAGA hat wearing teens mock elderly Native American man?” states, “Multiple articles state that the teens were mocking the elderly man and that one teen chanted in his face. This is untrue.” After this statement, a longer video of the encounter is posted. 

My conclusion for this incident is pretty biased. First of all, the high school boys were there for an anti-abortion rally, and it does not sit well for me that men think they have the right to choose what to do with women’s bodies. Second of all, I believe the boys knew what they were doing by saying “build the wall,” wearing MAGA hats and crossing paths with the Indigenous People’s March. I found myself supporting the left leaning media. This whole incident goes deeper than just Sandman and Phillips, it dives this country’s history constructed on racism.

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Important images of the summer 2023

Maui fires

In early August a devastating series of wildfires broke out in Maui, mainly in the western town of Lahaina. The month of August is considered to be the peak of Hawaii’s dry season. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, since the beginning of August, Maui has been under abnormally and severely dry levels of drought with increasing chances of wildfires. There have been multiple reasons as to why the wildfires began. One being that during Hawaii’s wet season vegetation grew tall which dried out during the dry season, making it extremely flammable. Dry vegetation, severe drought conditions and the strong winds created by category 5 Hurricane Dora were the main reasons for the fires. However, in the New York Times, it was recently released that “Maui County Officials have claimed in a lawsuit that intentional and malicious mismanagement of power lines by Hawaiian Electric, the state’s leading utility, had allowed flames to spark.” Due to the tragic events, more than 2,200 structures were damaged and destroyed, estimating a total of $5.5 billion, according to the Pacific Disaster Center and Federal Emergency Management Agency. A growing concern from the residents of Maui was the small amount of time they had to evacuate. Residents also questioned why Maui’s largest system of outdoor warning sirens did not go off, since its purpose is to alert people of life threatening events like hurricanes and tsunamis. As to date, the fires in Maui have mostly been contained, but now people have to live with the environmental hazards that remain. One being the contamination of water and air from the residue of harmful chemicals from infrastructures. 

This photograph is unique because it emotionally demonstrates the tragic event that occurred early August. As you look at the picture you see a house of fire, and in general fire all around, which is how the town of Lahaina looked for days. When you look at this picture you feel for those that had to evacuate quickly, leaving their houses and businesses to burn. This image is significant because this series of wildfires is considered the deadliest wildfire in more than a century and the deadliest natural disaster in Hawiian history, killing at least 114 people. Most importantly, experts say that this event can happen again due to climate change and droughts.

COVID cases on the rise

For quite some time now we have gotten a sense of normality since the COVID-19 pandemic that broke out three years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly important and significant for several reasons. Not only did the virus rapidly spread worldwide infecting millions of people, but the pandemic also had effects on the economy due to lockdowns, travel restrictions, social distancing measures, job losses and more. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of preparedness and the need for adequate resources for any future events. In recent times, positive COVID cases have declined, in which ended social distancing and the mask mandate. However, in the mix between weather changes and flu season approaching, COVID cases have silently been increasing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID hospitalization and death records have been increasing since the beginning of July. However, according to CDC Director, Mandy K. Cohen, there has been an increase of 10,000 cases a week. But it is not a reason to get alarmed, for as during COVID’s highest peak in August last year, cases would total up to 40,000 cases per week. Due to stronger immunity, COVID vaccines, home tests and treatments are helping people remain from a trip to the hospital. During the summer a new strain of the variant Omicron, EG.5, has surfaced in the United States. The CDC said that there is no evidence that EG.5 causes a more severe illness than the prior variants. It is still important to practice good hygiene and washing hands frequently. This image is significant because when one looks at it they might be brought back to the challenges of the pandemic in 2020. Therefore, it is important to remain informed on the increasing cases and practice adequate precautions to remain in good health and keep others safe.

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Hello everyone! My name is Guadalupe, but everyone calls me GG for short, and I am majoring in Journalism Public Relations. I am a 22-year-old capricorn born and raised in North Hollywood to two Mexican parents, who taught me the importance of being Latina. Being the daughter of two Mexicans, I am fluent in both English and Spanish, however last semester I decided to challenge myself and try to learn a third language, Italian. One of my dream vacations is to travel to Italy and being a big foodie, I want to eat authentic Italian pasta while looking at a beautiful view. One of my biggest interests and hobbies is baseball. I enjoy watching all of spring training,162+ season games and of course, the postseason. During the baseball season I try to go see as many baseball games live and collect bobbleheads. Another interest of mine is going to theme parks, especially Disneyland and Universal Studios. But probably my most expensive interest and hobby is collecting sneakers. 

Being from North Hollywood and always passing through Universal Studios and Walt Disney Studios, it heavily influenced me to pursue a career in entertainment. Moreover, being an Angeleno and growing up in a household that constantly roots for the Dodgers and Lakers, it helped narrow my career interests into sports. I wish to have a career in public relations within Major League Baseball, more specifically with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the next 5 years, I aspire to be working with sports teams in either public relations or their social media department, paving the way to eventually working with the Dodgers. I believe that everyone has their person who they look up to and mine is Sue Jo, the social media director for the Los Angeles Dodgers. So that is a little about me, I am excited to get to know everyone a little better too!