The Deepfake Dilemma: Ethics, Technology, and Society

"The Deepfake Dilemma: Ethics, Technology, and Society" is a comprehensive and accessible textbook designed for B.Tech and M.Tech students of computer science, information technology, and related engineering disciplines. It confronts one of the most pressing socio-technical challenges of the 21st century: the rise of hyper-realistic, AI-generated synthetic media, or "deepfakes."


Key Features:


1. Accessible Technical Explanations: Complex topics like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are broken down using simple analogies and clear, practical examples, making them understandable without sacrificing technical accuracy.
2. Balanced Perspective: Dedicates full chapters to both the positive applications (e.g., in healthcare and entertainment) and the negative implications (e.g., disinformation and fraud) of deepfake technology.
3. Rich with Case Studies: Features a wide array of up-to-date, global and Indian case studies to illustrate the real-world impact of deepfakes in politics, society, and business.
4. Focus on Ethical Reasoning: Provides an introduction to applied ethical frameworks (Deontology, Utilitarianism) and guides students on how to apply them to real-world tech dilemmas.
5. Practical Detection Knowledge: Offers a dedicated chapter on the methods and challenges of deepfake detection, covering both human-centric observation and AI-based forensic techniques.
6. Hands-On Capstone Project: Concludes with a chapter guiding students through an easy-to-follow, real-world project to build their own simple deepfake detector, solidifying their learning through practical application.
7. End-of-Chapter Resources: Each chapter includes discussion questions, critical thinking exercises, and further reading suggestions to deepen understanding and stimulate classroom debate.


This book, "The Deepfake Dilemma: Ethics, Technology, and Society," was conceived not merely as a technical manual but as a holistic guide for the next generation of engineers, technologists, and leaders. In an era defined by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in India and a global shift towards multidisciplinary, outcome-based education, it is no longer sufficient for a B.Tech or M.Tech student to understand the ‘how’ of a technology. It is imperative to grapple with the ‘why,’ the ‘what if,’ and the ‘what should be.’