TAIPEI (TVBS News) — An internet influencer swapped the faces of over 100 Internet celebrities and political figures in Taiwan last year to create indecent videos and make tens of millions in profits.
In response to the growing popularity of face-swapping technology, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) reportedly spent tens of millions of dollars to acquire relevant forensic technology that can identify the authenticity of videos in a short period of time.
CIB officials have already warned the public to be wary of anyone pretending to be candidates through video-altering techniques spreading fake news in the 2024 elections.
A technical expert of the R&D Section of the Criminal Investigation Bureau said: "Although it looks real, there are ways to spot the difference. If you look closely at the edge like this, the skin color is different.
In order to distinguish between real and fake, viewers can try to spot if there is any difference in skin color near the face and the neck, see if there are irregularities in the mouth shape and if there is a delay in the voice.
Chuang Ming-hsiung, the head of the R&D Section of the Criminal Investigation Bureau said: "Last year, a fake video of Ukrainian President Zelensky was made about surrendering to Russia,"
"In the future, we are also worried about the spread of fake news. They will be faking to be candidates or faking to be those around the candidate in an attempt of so-called propaganda interference. The Criminal Investigation Bureau has set up a relevant forensic team to avoid crimes in this area," Chuang added.
In response to the continuous evolution of cybercrime, the police's digital forensic system has also been upgraded to prevent future related crimes.
