Upcoming Event: IAFIE-EUROPE 2019 Conference, Bucharest, 14 – 17 April 2019

Ms. Agnes Venema shall be presenting the following event. Please see below for full details.

Date: 14 – 17 April 2019

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Conference/Event Name:  International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE)-EUROPE Conference 2019

Ms. Agnes Venema, LL.M.

Title: When Your Eyes Deceive You: The Impact of Deepfakes on Image Analysis in Intelligence

Summary:

Image analysis in intelligence has taken a giant leap forward due to the technological advances of the last decades. The digitalisation of devices capturing images, increased computing power, and the decreasing size of digital storing units have all resulted in faster and easier analysis. Or has it? Image intelligence (IMINT) is often shared directly with the customer, without an image analyst’s input. This increases customers’ vulnerability to deception, especially as technological advancements makes image manipulation, such as deepfakes, easier than ever before.

Deepfake manipulation is a technologically advanced method of altering videos in such a way that they are hardly distinguishable from real footage. Herein lies a challenge for intelligence agencies and intelligence educators. This presentation makes a case for image analysts to be re-trained to be able to adequately assess whether they are dealing with deepfakes or not. It furthers two parallel strategies for this: firstly, offering additional training for image analysts, and secondly, changing the recruitment of image analysts. By taking full advantage of generations that grew up with fast changing technology, recruiting more Millennials and Gen Z employees into intelligence agencies can help create a more resilient workforce that can also anticipate other rapid technological developments. At the same time, the problem of deepfakes underlines the necessity for intelligence products to be reviewed by analysts prior to being shared with a customer. Because this does not always happen, Ms. Venema also argues for intelligence educators to go beyond their traditional target audience and find innovative ways to teach the customers of IMINT about the risks of deception as well.

Website: IAFIE-EUROPE

We hope to see you there!

If you have questions or would like further information, please contact IAFIE-EUROPE at the following e-mail: iafiebucharest@animv.ro.