Identity theft on TikTok: voice clones and audio deepfakes
On TikTok in particular, these audio “deepfakes” are starting to cause problems for popular creators whose identities are impersonated without their consent. These technologies are capable of reproducing an individual's voice with great precision, making it difficult for users to distinguish between a real recording and an AI imitation.
Identity theft on TikTok: content creators facing a new threat
During the month of February 2024, several renowned content creators, who mainly use YouTube as a distribution platform, were confronted with a new form of identity theft on TikTok.
Accounts on TikTok have cloned their voices using artificial intelligence (AI), using their identities to produce misleading or biased content.
Voices cloned by AI: the new identity theft strategy
Personalities such as Nota Bene and Feldup, who together have nearly 4 million subscribers on YouTube, have been targeted by this practice. The process involves using AI to faithfully reproduce the voices of creators, creating confusion between authentic accounts and impostors on TikTok.
Creators have faced difficulties asserting their rights and getting an adequate response from TikTok.
Reactions from creators and TikTok
Affected creators, such as Nota Bene and Feldup, expressed frustration with TikTok's slow response and lack of support.
Despite massive reporting from their community, the impersonator accounts remained active for several days, leaving creators without a clear response from TikTok. Some reported that their efforts to contact TikTok's moderation department were unsuccessful.
The challenges posed by audio deepfakes and insufficient legislative responses
This new form of identity theft raises legislative and technical challenges as current laws struggle to keep pace with technological advances in audio-defecation. Although legal actions have been taken by affected creators, TikTok has not responded proactively to resolve the issue.
Consequences for creators and their communities
Impersonation by AI voice clones leads to a loss of trust between creators and their fans, as well as damage to the reputation and revenue of legitimate creators. This practice also harms the integrity and authenticity of the content offered to TikTok users.