The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy, said that the ‘scamdemic’ on deepfakes and generative AI (artificial intelligence) tools poses a global threat to the rapid rise of cybercrimes.

In an episode of the Malacañang Insider, Uy said that the misuse of technology to manipulate something to appear authentic is a grave concern that officials must immediately look into. Images, videos, and voices can be mimicked, edited, and spliced into several formats to deceive people and spread false content.

Uy reiterated that deepfakes have been around for a while, but were formerly used for filming CGIs and green screens to manipulate the atmosphere and environment. In recent years, it was weaponized to spread misinformation and manipulate identities for marketing purposes.

To combat its rapid spreading, the DICT secretary suggests enacting a more comprehensive law against online harm, rather than passing pieces of legislation that addresses small and specific items.

As scams become more pervasive worldwide, penalties for social media platform handlers must be enabled to properly address the issue, said Uy.

“DICT deals with cybersecurity because we need to be more agile than the cybercriminals. Otherwise, we cannot fight a battle where our hands are always tied and theirs are not because it's a no-win situation,” he said.

A software system and platform are currently in the works to help citizens verify the piece of information they receive. It would serve as a clearing hound for people before they respond. The DICT is also currently requesting a special fund to quicken their process of developing new mechanisms available to both law enforcement and the people.