Figure-1: Deepfake Uses

Source: Fortinet.com (2023)

Ethical Lens 1: Consequentialism/Utilitarianism

Understanding the Framework

Consequentialism, also called utilitarianism, determines whether an action is right or wrong based on its outcome. The main goal is to create the greatest good for the greatest number of people. An action is right if it produces more benefit compared to harm and wrong if it does the opposite. The harm to one individual counts no more or no less than equivalent harm to a random person.

Applying Consequentialism/Utilitarianism to Deepfakes

Deepfakes can sometimes be acceptable if they bring more benefits instead of harm. If deepfakes are used in education or movies, it can act as a learning outcome and entertainment. For example – recreating images of human figures may help students engage more with interest in learning about history.

However, deepfakes used for scams, political misinformation, fake news, non-consensual content, and fraudulent activities can create serious damage to one’s reputation. Voice cloning scams can steal money from the victims upon sharing sensitive information without their knowledge. Non-consensual deepfake videos and images can emotionally bring harm to individuals and violate privacy.

A utilitarian would compare these benefits and harms to determine whether deepfakes are morally acceptable or not. If technology create deception, breaks trust, plays with emotion, and deny privacy, it would be viewed as unethical. But if laws, consent policies and detection technologies reduce harmful uses, utilitarianism may support responsible uses of deepfakes, because positive outcomes could outweigh the negative consequences.

Ethical Lens 2: Deontologist/Rights-Based Ethics

Understanding the Framework

Deontologist, also known as Right-Based Ethics, focuses on duties, moral human rights, and rules, rather than consequences. This lens argues that even if some actions outcome as positive, those are still wrong. Right-based ethics emphasizes respect, consent, privacy, honesty, and privacy of people. Philosopher Immanuel Kant believed there were some rules of morality that people were supposed to follow. People should always be treated as “ends in themselves” and never simply as tools for someone else’s benefit.

Applying Deontologist/Rights-Based Ethics to Deepfakes

Harmful deepfake applications such as fraudulent, political misinformation, and fake videos are considered unethical. Non-consensual deepfake images and videos uses a person’s identity without their consent, or rather any knowledge of individuals, treating them as objects. Fake videos of politicians deceive public and their emotions, and violates the moral duty to tell the truth.

Most deontological theories divide between agent-centered and victim-centered theories, which focuses on the person doing the action and the reasons why an agent would do something based on other’s rights respectively. However, deontological ethics may support some positive side of deepfakes only if there is consent given by individuals to use their photos, videos, and voices.

In this case, technology is being used ethically without harming anyone and rather respecting their choice. Overall, this lens speaks that morality of deepfakes depends more on whether they respect people’s rights, consent, and honesty and depends less on whether any produce any benefit.

Comparative Analysis: How Ethical Lenses Shape Our Conclusions

The two lenses differ from several dimensions like what each prioritizes, role of consent, education/entertainment uses, intimate images, and political misinformation. Consequentialism asks whether the overall benefits outweigh harm for greatest number of people, so, it focuses mainly on outcomes and welfare. From this point of view, deepfakes used in education or entertainment may be considered acceptable if they create more positive outcomes than harm. Deontological on the contrary, focuses on moral values, people’s consent, honesty, and dignity rather than outcomes. This argues that someone’s voice, image, and overall identity usage without their consent is itself wrong, even if it benefits others. Both frameworks strongly condemn harmful deepfakes but for different reasons. Consequentialism focuses on harmful consequences, while deontology focuses on violations of rights and consent. Together, both frameworks are stronger than either alone.

The choice of ethical lenses matters because it shapes how society create rules and policies for technology. Victims of deepfake abuse may lean more toward right-based ethics as it prioritizes consent, privacy, and dignity. Technology companies may also favor consequentialist reasoning if they believe deepfakes can provide economic or creative benefits when properly regulated. This shows that the same technology can appear as both ethical and unethical under each frameworks. Using one ethical lens may overlook the other, but combining multiple perspectives can lead to more balanced and responsible decisions about deepfake technology.

Conclusion

Analyzing deepfake technology through both the lenses reveals that no single moral theory provides a complete answer on its own. Consequentialism shows when deepfakes are used for scams or fake news, the harm they cause outweighs any benefits. Deontological ethics shows that when deepfake seems helpful, using people’s images without their consent is completely wrong. But both the frameworks agree on one thing. If deepfake violates people’s basic right and consent, it’s unethical. These ethical analyses show the need for thoughtful recommendations and policies that balance innovation, public benefit, and protection from harm.