A History of Fake Things on the Internet audiobook cover - From Hoaxes to Deepfakes

A History of Fake Things on the Internet

From Hoaxes to Deepfakes

Walter Scheirer

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HistorySociety & CultureTechnology & the Future

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A History of Fake Things on the Internet
Myths and Memes+
The Rise of Fake News+
History of Photo Manipulation+
Forensics & Self-Fulfilling Prophecies+
The Horror of the Internet+
Fear, Hope, and Imagination+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
According to the text, what is the primary historical role of myths and early memes?
  • A. To provide a structured explanation for life's complexities and help people navigate reality.
  • B. To deliberately deceive the public and maintain control over political narratives.
  • C. To serve as early forms of currency and economic exchange in ancient societies.
  • D. To lay the groundwork for the eventual development of digital communication networks.
Question 2 of 6
Why did hacker groups in the 1980s, such as the 'Legion of Doom,' target news media outlets?
  • A. To steal financial data and extort major broadcasting corporations.
  • B. To demonstrate their technological prowess and spread their countercultural messages.
  • C. To securely communicate with other hacker groups using hidden broadcast signals.
  • D. To help law enforcement identify vulnerabilities in national communication grids.
Question 3 of 6
The author argues that the historical practice of photo manipulation is ultimately driven by what underlying factor?
  • A. The rapid advancement of digital editing software like Photoshop.
  • B. A psychological impulse to reshape reality into a simpler, more palatable narrative.
  • C. The need for political figures to protect their physical safety from countercultural movements.
  • D. A strict adherence to the philosophical concept of 'brute facts.'
Question 4 of 6
What ironic consequence resulted from the early warnings and advancements made by media forensics experts?
  • A. They accidentally created the first deepfake algorithms while trying to secure digital images.
  • B. They caused a technological stagnation where no new image editing software was developed for a decade.
  • C. They contributed to a culture of profound skepticism where even genuine and authentic media is frequently doubted.
  • D. They forced mainstream media to abandon digital photography and return to analog film.
Question 5 of 6
How does the text apply Marshall McLuhan's media theory to the rise of internet shock content?
  • A. The internet as a medium acts as a catalyst for humans to seek increasingly shocking stimuli to feel more deeply.
  • B. The graphic content itself is less important than the financial profit generated by anonymous users.
  • C. Anonymity algorithms naturally filter out positive content, leaving only violent media to be consumed.
  • D. Mass media broadcasts inevitably merge with reality, causing users to hallucinate the content they consume.
Question 6 of 6
What is the book's concluding perspective on the future of the internet and digital fakery?
  • A. Stricter government censorship is the only way to prevent the collapse of societal trust.
  • B. AI will inevitably distort reality beyond repair, making it impossible to discern fact from fiction.
  • C. Alarmist predictions are entirely accurate, and society should prepare for a completely fragmented digital world.
  • D. Despite its challenges, there is hope that humanity's imagination and better nature will harness technology for the greater good.

A History of Fake Things on the Internet — Full Chapter Overview

A History of Fake Things on the Internet Summary & Overview

A History of Fake Things on the Internet (2023) explores the origins and evolution of digitally fabricated content, from early photo manipulation to today’s AI-generated deep fakes, analyzing key technological advances that made new forms of deception possible, and tracing their real-world impact back to fundamental aspects of human behavior. It argues that problems stemming from fake online content relate more to creativity and destruction inherent in human nature, rather than the nature of the faked content itself.

Who Should Listen to A History of Fake Things on the Internet?

  • Technology historians
  • Media literacy advocates
  • Anyone interested in information security

About the Author: Walter Scheirer

Walter J. Scheirer is an Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame, who previously held positions at Harvard University, and co-founded a computer vision startup after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. His research focuses on developing advanced machine learning techniques for fundamental problems in biometrics, computer vision, and recognition.

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