Best practice for protecting your “digital self“

In today’s hyper-connected world, we all leave a trail of digital breadcrumbs wherever we go. Every photo we post, video we share, voice note we send and profile we create adds to our “digital footprint.” This digital presence helps us connect, share and also creates a rich dataset that could potentially be used by malicious actors to create deepfakes of us.

While generative AI is powerful, there are still steps you can take to strengthen your digital defences. At VerifyLabs.AI, we’re passionate about empowering you to control your digital narrative and protect your true self online.

Why does your digital footprint matter to deepfakers?

Your digital footprint falls into two categories—active and passive—which constitute all the data you leave behind online.

• Active: this is information you knowingly share (social media posts, profile pictures, comments, uploaded videos, public emails).
• Passive: this is data collected without your active input (IP address, Browse history, location data from apps).

For deepfake creators, your public active footprint is a goldmine. Generative AI models need data to “learn” how to impersonate someone. The more high-quality photos, videos and audio clips of you that are out there online, the easier it becomes for an AI to mimic your appearance, voice and mannerisms.

What are the risks? (From public posts to personal impersonation)

While a deepfake of you might seem far-fetched, the increasing accessibility and sophistication of deepfake tools mean the risk is now considerable. Malicious uses can include:

• Non-consensual intimate content: one of the most devastating and common misuses, creating fake explicit content that can lead to severe emotional distress, reputational ruin and loss of life.
• Reputational damage: imagine a deepfake of you saying or doing something inappropriate, shared widely online. This could damage your career, relationships, or personal brand.
• Fraud and scams (impersonation): deepfakes used to impersonate you to scam your friends or family for money.
• Harassment and bullying: deepfakes can be a cruel tool for online harassment, creating false narratives to target individuals.

What proactive steps should you take to minimise deepfake risk?

Taking control of your digital footprint isn’t about disappearing online, but about being mindful about protecting yourself. Here are practical tips:

1. Audit your social media privacy settings:
   • Go private: for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), consider making your profiles private. This limits who can see and download your photos and videos.
   • Review photo tags: untag yourself from photos you don’t want associated with your public profile, especially those uploaded by others.
   • Limit information sharing: be cautious about publicly sharing your exact birthdate, home address, phone number, or detailed daily routines. This data can be used to build a comprehensive profile for impersonation.
   • Location services: turn off location services for apps that don’t absolutely need them, and avoid publicly sharing your real-time location.
   • Old content clean-up: consider removing old, publicly accessible photos or videos that are no longer relevant or that you’re uncomfortable having easily accessible.
2. Only share mindfully:
   • Think before you post: before uploading a new photo or video, especially of your face or voice, ask yourself: “Do I really need to share this publicly?” “Could this be used by someone with ill intent?”
   • Limit high-quality selfies and videos: understand that high-resolution, front-facing images and videos of your face provide excellent training data for AI models.
   • Voice notes and public speaking: be aware that any public audio (podcasts, public speeches, voice notes on social media) could potentially be used for voice cloning.
3. Strengthen your account security:
   • Strong, unique passwords: use complex, unique passwords for all your online accounts.
   • Two-factor authentication (2FA/MFA): enable 2FA/MFA wherever possible. Even if someone obtains your password or creates a deepfake to try and bypass a visual check, 2FA adds another critical layer of security.
   • Be wary of phishing: deepfake scams often start with sophisticated phishing attempts. Be hyper-vigilant about suspicious emails or messages.
4. Practice digital scepticism:
   • Question everything: develop a healthy scepticism towards unexpected content, especially if it seems shocking, out of character, or demands urgent action.
   • Verify the source: before believing or sharing, always verify the source of the content. Is it a legitimate, trusted account or publication?
   • Be on Red Flag alert: while deepfakes are getting better, subtle inconsistencies can still exist (e.g., unnatural eye movements, distorted backgrounds, odd lighting). Learn what to look for, but don’t rely solely on your eyes.
5. Leverage verification tools like VerifyLabs.AI Deepfake Detector:
   • Even with the best preventative measures, you may encounter suspicious content featuring someone you know, or even yourself. VerifyLabs.AI is your personal digital truth detector. If you receive a questionable image, video, or audio clip, you can use the app to quickly analyse it and get a clear “human” (green circle), “AI-generated” (red square) or grey bar (test further) results.
   • You’ll then be able to decide when to trust and when to be super-wary.

Your digital self is worth protecting

Protecting your digital footprint in the age of deepfakes is an ongoing process. It requires awareness, vigilance and the right tools. By being mindful of what you share, securing your accounts and having a reliable verification tool like VerifyLabs.AI Deepfake Detector at your fingertips, you can significantly reduce your risk. Your digital identity is precious—let’s work together to safeguard it.