Deep Fakes Are No Laughing Matter

In a video published on YouTube, Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington—in character as Jon Snow—apologized for several mistakes made during the controversial eighth season of the hit HBO show.

There’s just one problem: Harington never uttered the words that appear to come from his mouth. The now-viral video is a so-called deepfake, the term used for videos that have been digitally altered with the intent to deceive viewers.

As deepfake technology gets better, and is available to more people, the Internet could be inundated with believable fake videos that will make it harder for people to discern the truth, experts say.