Despite the rising concerns and negative perceptions about deepfake technology among the public, it is unreasonable that the government prohibit the commercialization of deepfake technology.

           First and foremost, prohibiting the use of deepfake technology in all areas hinders its benefits and impedes its development. Technology is value-neutral, and its benefits and harms are determined by how users utilize it. In fact, in the advertising industry, deepfake technology can simulate scenes that real humans cannot achieve or that would incur substantial costs, thereby saving expenses. In the medical field, deepfake medical images created through algorithms assist AI detection models in making more accurate diagnoses. Secondly, prohibiting the commercialization of deepfake technology infringes upon the freedom of expression and art. Artists and merchants using deepfake technology to express themselves also falls under freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is one of the core values of a democratic society, and South Korea also guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of art in Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution. Considering freedom of expression and art, the U.S. Department of Commerce decided to develop a standard that requires watermarks and other markings on AI-generated materials last March. Lastly, a more fundamental alternative than prohibiting the commercialization of deepfake technology is to develop tools to detect the use of deepfakes. The reason why the misuse of deepfake technology receives significant attention is precisely because once such materials are created, they have a high propagation power and are nearly impossible to completely remove from the internet. AI-based detection tools for detecting deepfake videos are being actively developed, and by using multiple detection tools in combination, one can deeply analyze the videos and images they want to verify.

Therefore, to manage the use of deepfake technology, it is necessary to choose more efficient and fundamental alternatives, such as the proliferation of detection technology for fake usage, rather than prohibiting the commercialization of deepfake itself.

Deepfake technology is currently referred to as a ‘double-edged sword,’ attracting significant attention from the public, both positively and negatively. Those in favor of the commercialization of deepfake technology focus on the severity of deepfake misuse crimes, advocating for the prevention of digital sex crimes and the spread of fake news through legal sanctions. However, deepfake technology is already being used positively as well, and legal sanctions can infringe upon freedom of expression, leading to a tense standoff between proponents and opponents. How to deal with the misuse of deepfake technology is a problem that the world is currently struggling with. This is because it is an area where there is an ‘ethical vacuum,’ a gap between the advancement of science and ethical development in modern society. Regulation of technology can only be slower than the speed of technological development, and as time goes on, the gap in this ethical vacuum of society, where the use restrictions of deepfake have not yet been established, will also grow. In this situation, the government must come up with measures to minimize the side effects of deepfakes, and society’s contemplation on the ethics of deepfake use must continue.