The photograph is now meaningless as evidence. We are not prepared.
Really good article I read today.
I was already impressed by the first hype of image generators but since haven't informed myself much. They got really good lately apparently. I can't decide if I am concerned or impressed. Do you think this would actually be used for something other than memes and misinformation?
I thought I might share it and hear your opinions.
I find the author's reasoning strained. They use flat Earthers as an example of the power of photographs to "prove" reality?
I question the central premise that photographs were ever the foundation of reality. Haven't filmmakers been fooling us with photography for over a hundred years?
That all comes up in the article. The core idea the author is getting at is the general ease of fabricated situations is coming in a new way that previously hasn't been a couple clicks for the average user. Think less about political turmoil (propaganda has existed as long as there as been politics) and more about how your Karen aunt can add a worm to their Google review for spaghetti. Most people won't learn Photoshop, most people can click a few buttons.
I think it's still important to consider the tomorrow we're being thrust into even if we could do this on a smaller scale yesterday.
Photography has been used in the service of deception for as long as it has existed. (Consider Victorian spirit photos, the infamous Loch Ness monster photograph, or Stalin’s photographic purges of IRL-purged comrades.)