Question: I’ve heard the term “deepfake videos” in the news lately. What are they? How and why are they made? Answer: A deepfake is a technique for human image synthesis based on artificial intelligence. By using this technique, creators can show real people in videos doing and saying things they never did. Deepfake videos are designed to intentionally mislead people. While they can be used for entertainment and satire on TV and social media (where it’s usually identified as such), deepfakes are more often produced by people with an ax to grind, an agenda to promote, or an urge to troll. They’re created by using two competing AI systems — one is called the generator and the other is called the discriminator. Basically, the generator creates a fake video clip and then asks the discriminator to determine whether the clip is real or fake. Each time the discriminator accurately identifies a video clip as being fake, it gives the generator a clue about what not to do when creating the next clip. Spotting a deepfake video can be challenging, but watch for the following characteristics: Face discolorations Lighting that isn’t quite right Badly synced sound and video Blurriness where the face meets the neck and hair We often say “seeing is believing.” But in the case of deepfake videos, that idiom doesn’t prove true.

Pumpkin Decorating Without Carving This video offers seven ways to decorate pumpkins using stencils, markers, paint, gold leaf, and more.

Dress Your Door for Halloween Greet trick-or-treaters with a spooky display using inexpensive materials including black garbage bags.

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		Creamy Pumpkin Soup Fresh pumpkin is blended with potatoes, carrots, and more to produce this delicious soup for fall dinners.		Salted Caramel Apple Slab Pie This dessert is quick and easy to prepare. It’s also a perfect way to use the apples from local orchards.

		The Social Security Administration (SSA) scam is the number one scam reported to the FTC right now. People filed nearly 73,000 reports about Social Security impostors in the first six months of 2019, with reported losses of $17 million. Social Security numbers are the skeleton key to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from Social Security? This scam is often executed via robocall. The recording may provide a number for you to call to remedy some supposed Social Security problem, or you may be told there’s good news about an increase in your benefit. You could also receive an email that appears to be from SSA and instructs you to click a link to register for a free service that protects you from Social Security fraud. In all cases, what the scammers are after is your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Follow these precautions to guard against identity theft stemming from the SSA scam: Hang up if someone calls you out of the blue and claims to be from SSA. Set up a My Social Security account online and check it on a monthly basis for signs of anything unusual, even if you have not yet started collecting benefits. Don’t assume a call is legitimate because it appears to come from 800-772-1213, the SSA’s customer service line. Scammers use “spoofing” technology to trick caller ID. Never give your Social Security number or other personal information to someone who contacts you by email. SSA never requests information that way. Stay informed and stay vigilant!