As tech improves and makes the workplace more efficient and productive, so too does the danger potential. Our risk vulnerability has gone next-level with the rise of deepfakes, thanks to the sophistication of today’s e-predators in the age of AI. Ensuring the safety of individuals, as well as that of brands and businesses, is twofold: for all individuals, learning to identify deepfakes; and for companies, engaging in high-level identity protection, new research from identity verification and compliance firm Jumio affirms.The report also reveals significant concerns among consumers about the risks associated with generative AI and deepfakes, along with a high level of overconfidence in being able to spot them.
The third annual Jumio Online Identity Study, based on a survey conducted by Censuswide, examines the views of more than 8,000 adult consumers in the UK, US, Singapore and Mexico, reveals that nearly three-quarters of consumers surveyed (72 percent) worry on a day-to-day basis about being fooled by a deepfake into handing over sensitive information or money. Only 15 percent of respondents said they’ve never encountered a deepfake video, audio or image.
Even with high anxiety around this increasingly prevalent and ever-evolving technology, consumers continue to overestimate their own ability to spot deepfakes—60 percent believe they could detect a deepfake, up from 52 percent in 2023. Globally, men were more confident in their ability to spot a deepfake (66 percent men vs. 55 percent women), with men aged 18-34 demonstrating the most confidence (75 percent), while women aged 35-54 were least confident (52 percent).
“As generative AI advances, the incidence of deepfakes continues to rise, revealing a significant gap in our collective ability to detect these deceptions,” said Stuart Wells, Jumio’s chief technology officer, in a news release. “This continued overconfidence underscores the critical need for stronger public education and more effective technological solutions. It’s essential that businesses and consumers collaborate to enhance digital security measures to effectively prevent identity fraud.”
A significant majority (60 percent) of consumers call for more governmental regulation of AI to address these issues. However, regulatory trust varies globally, with 69 percent of Singaporeans expressing trust in their government’s ability to regulate AI, compared to just 26 percent in the UK, 31 percent in the U.S. and 44 percent in Mexico.
The true cost of online fraud
Fraud is an all-too-familiar issue for many consumers across the globe, with 68 percent of respondents reporting that they know or suspect that they’ve been a victim of online fraud or identity theft, or that they know someone who has been affected. U.S. consumers were most likely to be direct victims of fraud (39 percent) either knowingly or by suspicion, and Singapore was the top country to report knowing a victim (51 percent).
While nearly half (46 percent) of the consumers who were or suspected they were a victim of online fraud or identity theft said the ordeal was a minor inconvenience, 32 percent said it caused significant problems and several hours of administrative work to resolve, and 14 percent went as far as calling it a traumatic experience.
Regardless of whether they’ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft, most consumers worry daily about falling victim to data breaches (79 percent) and account takeover attacks (77 percent).
Balancing security and user experience for identity verification
Identity verification is a key part of the solution for companies looking to secure themselves and ensure that their users are genuine. When creating a new online account, global consumers said taking a picture of their ID and a live selfie would be the most accurate form of identity verification (21 percent), with creating a secure password coming in at a close second (19 percent).
“As we navigate the complexities introduced by generative AI, the role of sophisticated security systems becomes crucial,” said Philipp Pointner, Jumio’s chief of digital identity, in the release. “To counter the rise in deepfakes and cyber deception, incorporating multimodal, biometric-based verification systems is imperative. These technologies are key to ensuring that businesses can protect their platforms and their customers from emerging online threats, and are significantly stronger than passwords and other traditional, outdated methods of identification and authentication.”
See highlights of the report here.
The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 8,077 consumers split evenly across the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore and Mexico. The fieldwork took place between March 25 and April 2, 2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.
