Facebook bans 'deepfake' videos in run-up to US election

Critics say policy does not cover 'shallow fakes' - videos made using conventional editing tools

Facebook has announced a new policy banning AI-manipulated "deepfake" videos that are likely to mislead viewers into thinking someone "said words that they did not actually say", as the social network prepares for the 2020 US election.

But the policy explicitly covers only misinformation produced using AI, meaning "shallow fakes" - videos made using conventional editing tools - though frequently just as misleading, are still allowed on the platform.