With deepfake images recently making the news by fooling many people, we look at the issues around fake images and how to spot them.

Recent Examples 

The emergence of AI has led to an increasing output of highly convincing fake images/manipulated images/deepfake images (and deepfake videos). Motivations for making these images vary, e.g. entertainment (fun or visual effects in movies and TV), political propaganda, revenge, or harassment (to harass, embarrass, or intimidate individuals), to commit fraud, or simply for artistic expression.

Recent examples of fake images that have made the news include:

– Fake images of Pope Francis wearing what appears to be a $3,500 Balenciaga puffer coat.

– Fake images, circulated on social media, of former US President Donald Trump being arrested, and an AI-generated image on his own ‘Truth’ social media platform of him kneeling in prayer.

What Problems Can Fake Images Cause? 

Fake images/manipulated images/deepfake images can cause various problems depending on the context in which they are used. For example:

– Misinformation. Fake images can be used to spread false information, mislead people and create a false narrative. For example, doctored images of political events, protests, or disasters can create a misleading impression of what actually happened, potentially influencing public opinion or policy decisions.

– Reputational damage. Fake images can be used to damage the reputation of individuals or organisations. For example, a fake image of a celebrity engaging in illegal or immoral activity can cause significant harm to their public image.

– Legal issues. Fake images can be used as evidence in legal cases, but if they are not authentic, they can lead to wrongful convictions or acquittals. Moreover, fake images can cause copyright and intellectual property issues.

– Security threats. Fake images can be used to create security threats. For example, a fake image of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster can cause panic and chaos among people, leading to a security breach.

– Personal harm. Fake images can be used to harass, intimidate, or blackmail individuals. For example, a fake image of a person engaging in illegal or embarrassing activity can be used to blackmail or extort money from them. This gained notoriety with the trend of fake-pornographic images of well known celebrities, causing significant distress.

It should also be noted that some fake images can simply be a source of amusement or wonder over how AI has advanced and could be be seen as an example of how difficult it can now be to tell the difference between a real and a fake photo.

How Are Fake Photos Made? 

Examples of the kinds of tools now used to make fake photos include:

– More traditional photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop, e.g. using the Clone Stamp tool to duplicate elements of an image and cover up unwanted objects, or the Liquify tool to reshape and distort a person’s features.

– Online image editing tools: Several online image editing tools, such as Fotor, PicMonkey, and BeFunky, provide basic image editing capabilities that can be used to create fake photos, such as adding text, filters, and borders to an image.

Deepfake software, such as DeepFaceLab, FakeApp, and Zao, use machine learning algorithms to create realistic fake photos and videos by swapping faces or manipulating the appearance of a person.

– GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks), a type of artificial intelligence that can be used to generate realistic images. GANs consist of two neural networks, a generator that creates images and a discriminator that tries to distinguish real images from fake ones. As the generator learns, it can create more realistic images, making it a powerful tool for creating fake photos.

There are now many different AI programs that can be used to create fake images such as Generated.photos, This Person Does Not Exist: Random Face Generator, Shutterstock Generate, Jasper, Picsart, and even the next generation of ChatGPT, some of which can now instantly generate photos from a text description.

How To Spot A Fake Image 

With so many fake images around and so many AI-powered programs available, how can you spot a fake image?  Here are some common giveaways:

– Unnatural or inconsistent lighting. If the lighting in the image looks unnatural or inconsistent, such as different parts of the image having different shadows or light sources, it could be a sign that the image has been manipulated.

– Pixelation or blurring. If parts of the image look pixelated or blurred, it could be a sign that they have been altered. This is because when an image is edited, it often loses some of its original quality.

– Perspective and proportions. If the proportions or perspective in the image look distorted or inconsistent, it could be a sign that the image has been manipulated. For example, if a person’s head looks too big or too small for their body or if an object looks like it’s floating in the air, it could be a sign that it has been added to the image. It is often noted that hands can be a difficult area for fake image programs to get right, and the direction of eyes in a photo where there are multiple persons can also be a giveaway.

– Inconsistencies in shadows. If there are inconsistencies in the shadows in the image, it could be a sign that the image has been manipulated. For example, if a person’s shadow falls in a different direction than the other objects in the scene, it could indicate that the person has been added to the image.

– Lack of context. If the image lacks context or appears to be taken out of its original context, it could be a sign that it has been manipulated. For example, if an image shows a person in front of a particular background, but the person does not appear to be interacting with their surroundings, it could indicate that the person has been added to the image.

– Although it’s important to be vigilant and critical when viewing images online and to look for signs of manipulation, it’s also a good idea, if in doubt, to know how to and to try to verify the authenticity of an image by checking the original source.

Verifying Images

Verifying the authenticity of an image can be challenging, however there are several steps you can take to help determine if an image is real or has been manipulated:

– Check the source. One of the easiest ways to verify the authenticity of an image is to check its source. If the image is from a reputable news outlet, a government agency, or a trustworthy website, it is more likely to be real. However, if the image is from an unknown source or an unverified social media account, it could be fake.

– Look for metadata. Metadata is information embedded in the image file that can provide details about when and where the image was taken, the camera used, and other relevant information. You can use image analysis software or online tools to view the metadata of an image and determine if it matches the content of the image.

– Use a reverse image search. A reverse image search can help you find out where an image has been used before and whether it has been altered. You can use search engines such as Google Images or TinEye to upload the image or its URL and see if there are any matches.

– In more high-profile cases that make the news, there is also the option of consulting with experts in image analysis or forensics who can examine the image and provide a professional opinion. This can be especially helpful in cases where the image is of significant importance or is being used to influence public opinion.

Overall, verifying the authenticity of an image requires critical thinking, attention to detail and a willingness to do some research. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of determining if an image is real or fake.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The pace at which AI is advancing has meant that much more convincing fake images (and videos) can be made more quickly and easily and it’s this pace that’s recently alarmed some people into calling for a 6 month pause on the development of AI systems to assess the risks (a 1,800 signature open-letter, including Elon Musk’s). Although there are many ways to spot and verify fake photos, it looks likely that this is going to become more difficult to check and we even need the help of AI to help us spot AI generated deepfakes. Even the powerful social media platforms haven’t been able to stop fake profile photos and the circulation of fake photos and videos on their platforms are cause for concern, e.g. spreading propaganda/misinformation and is something the social media platforms will need to get a firmer grip on. It could be argued that education and awareness of news and world events is one important way that people can be aware of context and be better able to develop a healthy scepticism and be more able to spot fake photos and their possible motivations. For businesses, being able to identify fake photos is an important issue from a security and legal perspective so it’s important to be familiar with popular ways to tell the difference between real and fake photos and how to verify photo (and video) authenticity.

Changes to Microsoft 365 could mean less OneDrive cloud storage and could lead to Outlook being disrupted.

Change 

In February, Microsoft announced that cloud storage used across Microsoft 365 apps and services would include Outlook.com attachments data and OneDrive data. Microsoft has warned that this change could reduce how much cloud storage users have available to use with their OneDrive and, if the cloud storage quota is reached, the ability of users to send and receive emails in Outlook.com will be disrupted.

What’s Included In Microsoft cloud storage? 

A user’s Microsoft storage quota applies to a personal Microsoft account and includes OneDrive files and photos, e.g. personal files uploaded and synchronised from a computer or mobile device, such as Office documents, photos and other files saved to OneDrive, and items in the recycle bin. It also includes Outlook.com attachments and email in-line images, Microsoft Teams message attachments and recordings.

What Does This Mean? 

Whereas users used to be allowed to have a maximum of 15GB of storage in their cloud-hosted email which included text and attachments, and 5GB in their OneDrive storage, attachments now count as part of the 5GB OneDrive allowance. This is not just a significant reduction of storage space available as part of the account but also means the threat of disruption to services if/when the smaller storage quota is reached. Also, the change means that unless users keep deleting emails with attachments (which few people are likely to do) that could push them over the new limit.

Not Aware 

Another problem may be that many users may simply not be aware of the recent policy change and could face disruption without knowing why.

There have also been reports of users who were unaware that the attachments shifting over to OneDrive were the cause of their email problems and deleted a lot of emails in response, only to discover that this didn’t change the “storage used” amount.

Gradual Rollout 

The fact that Microsoft says that the new storage change is to have a gradual rollout also puts the responsibility onto users to keep checking their Windows settings, and Microsoft account to see if they are likely to experience some storage problems.

Subscription  

Some commentators have suggested that the policy change could lead some users to think that it’s a move by Microsoft to make users buy a subscription by the back door.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

For users who’ve had a Microsoft account for some time, this change may not only take them by surprise and potentially cause some confusion and disruption but may also leave them feeling annoyed that they’re being pushed towards either buying a subscription to get 50GB of email storage or facing the extra work of having to keep deleting emails with attachments. If users are already invested with their Microsoft account, the barrier to switching may seem high, however some online commentators have pointed out that Google’s Gmail accounts come with a 15GB limit which may have seemed an attractive alternative.

A new study has shown that using underground water to maintain comfortable temperatures could reduce consumption of natural gas and electricity in this sector by 40 per cent, thereby offering a green heating and cooling solution.

The Issue 

With a massive 12 per cent of the total global energy demand coming from heating and cooling homes and businesses, finding a green way to meet this demand could be a major step forward in reducing the consumption of natural gas and electricity, thereby helping the environment.

The Solution – ATES? 

One green method for meeting this demand could be using aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES).

ATES is a sustainable technology that utilises the subsurface temperature differences of groundwater to store thermal energy for heating and cooling purposes e.g., for heating and cooling buildings. This technique involves extracting groundwater from a shallow or deep aquifer, passing it through a heat exchanger system to extract heat or coolness, and then reinjecting the water back into the same or another aquifer.

During the summer season, the warm water from the building’s cooling system is transferred to the cold groundwater and then re-injected into the ground. In the winter season, the process is reversed, where the heat stored in the groundwater is extracted to provide warmth to the building.

Highly Efficient & Cost-Effective 

ATES is a highly energy-efficient and cost-effective technology for space heating and cooling, which results in lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional HVAC systems. ATES can be used in a variety of applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. It is also suitable for district heating and cooling systems, which can serve a large number of buildings in an area.

The Study 

The study, published in Applied Energy, looks at how ATES could fit into the larger goal of decarbonising U.S. energy systems by storing intermittent renewable energy which could be used when the sun isn’t shining, and the turbines aren’t spinning. In the study, researchers built a technological and economic simulation of an energy system. The study’s authors found that ATES is an option for heating and cooling energy storage that, like batteries, could help end human reliance on fossil fuel-derived backup power and enable a fully renewable grid.

Simple But Effective 

The ATES concept is simple because it uses the existing natural heat-absorbing property of water and the natural geological features. ATES involves the process of pumping water up from existing underground reservoirs, heating it at the surface in the summer with environmental heat or excess energy from solar, or any time of the year with wind, and then pumping back down, ready to use the stored heat in the colder months.

How Effective Are Underground Aquafers At Storing Heat? 

Underground aquifers are highly effective at storing heat because they have a large thermal mass, which means they can store a significant amount of heat energy. Aquifers are typically made up of porous rock or soil layers that can absorb and store water, which can be used to store thermal energy.

That said, the effectiveness of underground aquifers at storing heat depends on several factors, such as the depth and size of the aquifer, the properties of the soil or rock layers, and the flow rate of groundwater.

The Deeper The Better 

Deep aquifers are more effective at storing heat than shallow aquifers because the temperature of the water is more stable at greater depths, although it could be said that the earth is generally a good insulator.

All things considered, underground aquifers are an excellent and highly effective method for storing heat energy, which can help to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling buildings.

A Relatively High-Cost Method 

The study showed that adding ATES to the grid could reduce consumption of petroleum products by up to 40 per cent. However, using ATES could cost 15 to 20 per cent more than existing energy storage technologies.

Other Benefits 

Other benefits of using ATES could include:

– Unlike above-ground tank-based water or ice storage systems ATES doesn’t need to take up space.

– Compared with traditional geothermal heat pump systems that rely on heat transfer with the underground earth soil, ATES is more efficient and can be more easily scaled up for large community cooling or heating.

– ATES has the potential to become more efficient as weather becomes more extreme in the coming years due to climate change.

– ATES could make the future grid more resilient to outages caused by high power demands during heat waves because ATES-driven cooling needs less electricity than air conditioners, and it only needs enough power to pump the water around.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

Although more expensive than existing energy storage technologies, ATES offers businesses a natural, green way to heat and cool buildings that actually takes advantage of current climate change temperature extremes e.g., supercharging the amount of free thermal energy that can be stored. Using ATES could also make future grid more resilient to outages caused by high power demands during heat waves, thereby causing less disruption to businesses. Combine these points with the fact that ATES is efficient and can relatively easily scaled up and it’s clear that ATES could offer a greener, realistic alternative to conventional HVAC systems in the future.

Imagine for a moment that it’s April 14th, 1912 and just moments ago you were having a pleasant evening onboard one of the most luxurious and largest ships of its time. However, you are now sitting in a tiny lifeboat, surrounded by pitch black freezing water waiting for rescue.

This was stark reality for the 706 survivors of the Titanic disaster. It was around 23:40 (ship’s time) when the Titanic struck the iceberg. Many of the passengers would have been sleeping, while others were enjoying many of the attractions the ship had to offer. One thing is certain, they were completely unaware of the dreadful events about to unfold. In the early morning of April 15, the Titanic would sink.

More than 1,500 people lost their lives that night. To this day, the Titanic remains one of the deadliest marine disasters ever, during peacetime. Nevertheless it could still have been worse, had the crew not been able to send a distress call out using wireless telegraphy owned by the Marconi Company.

Having received the distress call, RMS Carpathia began making its way to the Titanic’s position and upon arrival, the ship would take all the survivors the found onboard and take them to New York. Two other ships arrived after the Carpathia; the Mount Temple and Californian. However, by then there were no more survivors found or picked up.

20 years prior to this tragedy in the early 1890s, a man named Guglielmo Marconi was working on ‘wireless telegraphy’, not knowing that his technology would help save those 706 lives. The idea was not new, yet no previous attempts were technically or commercially successful. Initially, he was only able to transmit signals up to half a mile but his persistent efforts resulted in a breakthrough in the summer of 1895 when he discovered greater ranges could be achieved by raising the antenna and grounding the transmitter and receiver.

Later, Marconi started investigating ways to transmit signals across the Atlantic which would eventually lead him to establishing a regular transatlantic radio-telegraph service. The radio operators onboard the Titanic were employees of the Marconi Company, not of the Titanic’s White Star Line. It was only after the tragic sinking of the Titanic that the value of radio in maritime safety was brought to public attention and Marconi acquired significantly more fame as a result.

Ironically, Marconi was nearly a victim himself of the Titanic’s fateful voyage as his reputation, achievements and Nobel prize-winning status had helped earn him a free passage on the famous maiden voyage. However, as it turned out, he’d opted to travel three days earlier aboard the RMS Lusitania instead. The Lusitania itself sank just over a year later, although rather than running into an iceberg, she instead met with a torpedo fired from a German submarine just south of Ireland, killing the passengers and crew, thereby contributing towards the United States entering the first world war.

The story of Titanic highlights the critical role technology plays in saving lives and avoiding disasters and of course the owner’s hubris around thinking that his ‘unsinkable’ ship needed so few lifeboats should never be forgotten.

With the UK government’s new ‘Emergency Alerts’ system now live, we take a look at what it is and how it will work.

What Are ‘Emergency Alerts’? 

The UK government’s Emergency Alerts service, managed by the government’s Cabinet Office, enables the government to send important public safety messages directly to people’s mobile phones in specific geographic areas during emergencies.

What Kind Of Emergencies? 

This system is designed to alert people of situations that may threaten their safety, such as severe weather, industrial incidents or terrorist attacks and is only to be used in times of serious emergencies.

The government says, “in the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding” and that “their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England.” 

To Be Used Very Rarely 

The plan is that Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely and will only be sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives.

The government says the Emergency Alerts system will “… bolster the UK’s resilience and provides the capability to send alerts direct to mobile phones when there is a risk to life”. 

How Does It Work? 

The alerts are going to be sent via a technology called ‘Cell Broadcast,’ which enables messages to be sent to all mobile phones within range of designated mobile phone towers. This means that alerts are targeted to people in specific areas, rather than being sent to all phones across the country. The government says the system will be able to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area.

When an alert is sent, a loud siren-like sound will play, and a message will appear on the screen of the phone. The message will provide information about the emergency situation and instructions on what to do next.

UK-Wide Test Planned For The Evening Of Sunday 23 April 

Although the system is now live and there have been successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading, the UK government is warning that a UK-wide alerts test will take place in the early evening of Sunday 23 April. This will see people receive a test message on their mobile phones.

Has Worked Well In Other Countries 

Emergency Alerts services have already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan, where they have been credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events.

Well Received 

The introduction of an Emergency Alerts service has been well received by emergency services in the UK.

For example, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Mark Hardingham, said: “We’ve seen this type of system in action elsewhere across the world and we look forward to having the facility here in the UK – by working together with fire services and partners we want this system to help us to help you be as safe as you can if a crisis does hit.” 

Also, as highlighted by Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management at the Environment Agency, Caroline Douglass: “Being able to communicate warnings in a timely and accurate manner during incidents is really important to help people take action to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbours.” 

Privacy Protected

For those worried about the potential for privacy and security issues related to the service, the UK government is assuring people that it will only broadcast from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. The government also says that the broadcast won’t reveal anyone’s location, no personal data will be collected, and the alerts can only be sent by authorised Governmental and Emergency Services users.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

With climate change-related weather incidents on the increase, a pandemic and its changing restrictions just passed, terror incidents in cities, and with most people now owning a mobile-phone, Emergency Alerts sounds like a good idea in theory. It has worked well in other countries and so should work here and if it can help to protect businesses and individuals from the worst excesses of weather incidents (for example), buy them vital time and save lives, then there can be few compelling arguments against it. There are, however, always concerns about privacy although the government has given assurances that the system will operate in a very private and localised way.