DeFake Project

The DeFake project is an initiative by a team of researchers at the Global Cybersecurity Institute at RIT, School of Journalism and New Media at University of Mississippi, and Michigan State University. Rapid advances in deepfake technology have dramatically lowered the barrier for adversaries to produce highly convincing manipulated video content—enabling sophisticated media manipulation campaigns and putting public trust and individual reputations at risk. The DeFake Project blends hands-on user studies with professional journalists and state-of-the-art AI research to develop a robust digital media forensics detection tool. By focusing on media manipulation detection and preserving the authenticity of digital media, our work empowers newsrooms to verify content with confidence. The team is proud to be one of eight winners of the Knight Foundation’s AI and the News Open Challenge.