ABSTRACT:
This study has two primary objectives: first, to identify which elements of manipulatively anchored deepfake videos on YouTube contribute to their potential for virality, and second, to examine how social media channels facilitate the erosion of rational perception in the consumption of media content. Using Jakobson’s communication model, we identify the basic communication elements associated with a specific deepfake video of a manipulative nature. The analysis revealed that the video aligns with a broader framework of stereotypes, media representation, and political discourse. We place the results in the context of media exposure, the fragmentary and instant consumption of media content, as well as within the specific space of perception of visuality and visual communications in the current media environment. Results show that the articulation of context plays a crucial role in interpreting a deepfake communication, underscoring the limitations of current mechanisms for labelling manipulated content on the YouTube platform.
KEY WORDS:
deepfake video, disinformation, digital virulence, social media, YouTube
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34135/communicationtoday.2025.Vol.16.No.2.1