“Are you really who you think you are?”: Deepfakes exhibition opens at UN Headquarters

“Deepfake and You”: this is the exhibition that Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) opened today at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The exhibition aims at raising awareness of the risks of image manipulation. Visitors walk through an interactive maze and experience first-hand – or rather, face to face – how easy it is to manipulate images today: with artificial intelligence, completely fake but deceptively genuine videos, known as deepfakes, can be created in minutes. These can be misused, including in conflict settings, for example to incite violence and undermine peace efforts. A fake video could show a politician reporting on alleged atrocities by a particular population group; a well-known peace activist suddenly spreading hate speech; or an officer promising the population ceasefires that never materialize.

Women are particularly at risk. Fake defamation videos, especially of a sexual nature, are widespread and have real consequences for the women affected. These range from damage to mental health, exclusion from public life and forced career interruptions to physical attacks. This also creates another obstacle for women's participation in peace processes.

However, “Deepfake and You” not only aims at raising awareness of the risks, but also to show ways forward. “The exhibition serves as both a warning and a call to action. It should open our eyes on how easily truth and facts can be twisted, but also show that solutions are within reach,” emphasized Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, Switzerland's Permanent Representative to the UN, at the opening. Armandeep Singh Gill, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy for Technology, Martin Vetterli, the President of the EPFL, and Laetitia Courtois, the ICRC's Permanent Observer to the UN, also addressed the audience of around 50 people.

“Deepfake and You” is held in October as part of Switzerland's presidency of the UN Security Council. It is in line with Switzerland's commitment to protecting civilians in conflicts, to strengthening the role of women in peace and security, and to ensuring that science and technology serve, rather than harm, peace efforts. The exhibition will be on display at UN Headquarters Delegates Entrance from 14 to 25 October. A UN badge is required to access the exhibition.