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Transcript

Deepfakes, AI and the Battle for Democracy

EXCLUSIVE: Watch this explosive documentary on how AI and deepfakes are used to manipulate people and create real-life violence.

Zeteo is proud to exclusively bring to our subscribers this urgent short film, which is particularly relevant in light of the level of disinformation used in the election of Donald Trump in the US.

This film ‘The Fake Mayor’ is a timely, urgent exploration of AI-driven disinformation and its impact on democracy, using the 2024 London mayoral election and the deepfake attack on Sadiq Khan as a focal point. Set in a year marked by calls for democratic renewal, the film is a stark warning that if a global major city like London cannot defend itself from AI-generated disinformation, then no election or nation is safe. The short film also shows how bad actors can easily and inexpensively use Islamophobia and xenophobia to create friction and destabilize society.

The film connects these themes to the US and other elections as well as recent British riots, underscoring how unregulated social media and AI continue to escalate political violence and deepen social divides.

With references to past election manipulation as seen in "The Great Hack," the story highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities to democracy caused by algorithm-fueled polarization and tech company indifference.

The central message of the film, “online violence is real-world violence,” urges viewers to consider the true costs of digital warfare, with a warning about the potential for rising political violence in the near future.

‘The Fake Mayor’ is brought to you by the team that made the Netflix documentary ‘The Great Hack’ that elevated the story of disinformation, Cambridge Analytica and the vulnerabilities that social media companies had inflicted upon society.

This film was initially available exclusively to Zeteo subscribers. It’s now free to access for everyone.

FULL CREDITS:

Directed by Karim Amer

Produced by Jia

Produced by Alex Baldwin

Produced by Mikaela Beardsley

Executive Producer Carole Cadwalladr

Co-Producer Faïza S’Lika

Edited by Federico G. Rosenzvit

Editors:

Zachary Obid

Patrick Walsh

Assistant Editor Bryan Smith

Additional Editing Chris Poole

Creative Partner - The Mayda Creative Co.:

Executive Creative Director - Ben Smith

Executive Producer - Zu Al-Kadiri

Producer - Hope Kuehne

Senior Designer - Gabriel Thomas Ayache

Designer - Jamie Zhang

UK Crew:

Director of Photography - Howard Mills

Camera Operator - Luca Stifani

Location Sound Mixer - Gabriel Stifani

Additional Cinematography - Alex Baldwin

US Crew:

Director of Photography - Tim Metzger

Location Sound Mixer - Austin Slayton

Production Assistant - Tanner Simpson

Additional Cinematography - Niki Waltl

Music by:

Gil Talmi Katya Mihailova

Michael Tuller

Reinhold Heil

Archives:

ABC, AlJazeera English, Associated Press, BBC, Channel 4 News, CNBC, CNN, CSPAN, Daily Express, Evening Standard, Firstpost, Forbes, Fox News, GB News, Money Control, The Guardian, Owen Jones, Politics Joe, Sky News, Story Blocks, The Telegraph.

Special Thanks:

Sadiq Khan

Hany Farid

Sarah Barrington

Nick Lowles

Riz Ahmed

Fatima Farheen Mirza

Mike Lerner

Sarah Brown

Zermina Toghey

Developed with the assistance of Minderoo.

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