The Manipulation Effect: How Small Editing Changes to Political Video Influence Viewer Perception

• In Event: Deepfakes in the 2020 Presidential Election: Detecting New Attempts at Deception

Abstract

The emergence of deepfake videos on the political landscape has made a problematic media environment, already compromised by accusations of fake news and circulation of digital disinformation, even more difficult for the average voter to effectively parse. To a large extent, the ability to detect manipulated video hinges on the individual’s political and technological sophistication—with more sophisticated and politically aware voters more able to spot outrageous forgeries and obvious manipulations. But deepfakes are increasingly subtle and difficult to classify as suspect. This study uses eye-tracking methodology to assess whether viewers who are better able to detect deepfakes focus their visual attention on two areas that have been identified as indicative of video manipulation: eye blinking and mouth movements. We hypothesize that longer gaze duration and higher fixation frequency on these areas of interest will lead to higher success rates in identifying deepfake videos—and that sophisticated viewers will exhibit these visual tendencies more than non-sophisticated viewers. Findings are also examined for the degree to which visual attention varies by type of sophistication, whether related to politics or media and technology. Results are discussed in light of the rapidly accelerating capacity of mediated presentations to deceive even the most sophisticated viewers, and what this means for political decision making.

Authors

• Erik P. Bucy, Texas Tech University

• Zijian Harrison Gong, Texas tech

• Jungseock Joo, UCLA