Photojournalism | Content Credentials (Probably) Won’t Save Photojournalism

Imagine an editor requesting "weather art" to depict a scorching summer day, and the image of a child joyfully playing in a sprinkler park seems perfect for the newspaper, right? Take another look. The photo you see was altered using Adobe's innovative AI feature within the latest Photoshop version. With just a bit of the lasso tool and a command to "remove person in background," the entire image transformed. In reality, the original photo contained another child behind the stream of water: The primary image, unedited and devoid of AI alterations. The ease with which these manipulations occur poses a significant threat to photojournalism, a field reliant on truthful images. Notably, prestigious photo contests are increasingly susceptible to staged photography. 

Photojournalism

With generative AI enabling swift additions or deletions of elements in photos, it raises concerns for the future of authenticity in imaging. Previously, photojournalistic deceits required significant effort, as seen in cases like the Toledo Blade's Allan Detrich, who manipulated images with painstaking detail. However, the landscape has shifted, and monitoring such changes has become increasingly challenging. Enter "Content Credentials," a new standard supported by the Leica M11-P camera, valued at nearly $10,000, which embeds secure metadata directly into image files upon creation. Although Canon, Nikon, and Sony also collaborate within the Content Authenticity Initiative, none have released cameras with these built-in credentials. In theory, social media platforms could display a content credentials icon alongside images, enabling users to track their origin and edits. This initiative seems promising, yet faces critical hurdles. While Leica embraces open-ish standards, other manufacturers tend to follow their own paths. Although participating in such initiatives presents good public relations, implementing features for a limited pool of users becomes a substantial challenge.

The crux of the issue lies in the general public's attitude toward image authenticity. Photos undergo numerous remixes on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, where teenagers and twenty-somethings often overlook authenticity concerns. Additionally, in newsrooms seeking instant cell phone photos from witnesses, the absence of content credentials might pose a dilemma when ordinary users lack apps supporting this feature, complicating authentication efforts. The inclusion of this feature in production cameras should have garnered more attention. Yet, for it to succeed, major manufacturers and software developers must genuinely commit rather than merely paying lip service to such technological advancements.

Source : https://fstoppers.com/artificial-intelligence/content-credentials-probably-wont-save-photojournalism-647129