The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) has revolutionized digital content creation while simultaneously amplifying the risks of misinformation, disinformation, and synthetic media threats such as deepfakes. Two pivotal documents – the AMAS Policy Paper: Building Trust in Multimedia Authenticity through International Standards and the AMAS Technical Report on AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards – offer a roadmap for addressing these challenges. Together, they highlight the importance of international standards, cross-sector collaboration, and technical safeguards to ensure content integrity.

Understanding the Challenge

AI-generated media has blurred the line between real and fabricated content, creating significant challenges for public trust, national security, and democratic processes. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report, misinformation and disinformation remain among the top global risks. The AMAS policy paper emphasizes the critical distinction between misinformation (false but unintended harm), disinformation (intentional deception), and malinformation (truth used maliciously).

Deepfakes are identified as a particularly dangerous threat. Financial fraud, political manipulation, and reputational damage are rising due to hyper-realistic synthetic videos and audio. Public figures, businesses, and individuals are increasingly vulnerable to these attacks.

Framework for Trust

Building trust in multimedia authenticity requires a socio-technical approach. The AMAS policy paper recommends adopting a Prevent-Detect-Respond (PDR) framework:

• Prevention: Content labeling, watermarking, content provenance tools, and public awareness initiatives.
• Detection: Technological solutions to identify manipulated or AI-generated content, coupled with data privacy measures.
• Response: Regulatory enforcement, platform-level content controls, dispute resolution, and explainable AI mechanisms.

This approach mirrors strategies from cybersecurity and privacy frameworks like GDPR and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, balancing innovation with accountability.

Global and Regulatory Landscape

The reports review the patchwork of international, regional, and national measures. These include the EU’s Digital Services Act and AI Act (Article 50(2)) for AI content labeling, the UK’s Online Safety Act (2023), and China’s deepfake regulations (2023). Global initiatives like the Christchurch Call, UNESCO’s AI ethics guidelines, and OECD standards aim to create common principles for tackling online harms while preserving human rights and innovation.

The Role of International Standards

Both reports stress that international standards are the backbone of trustworthy digital ecosystems. Standards developed by ISO, IEC, ITU, and groups like C2PA provide common benchmarks for:

• Content Provenance: Tracking the origin and history of digital assets (e.g., ISO 22144, C2PA Specification).
• Trust & Authenticity: Ensuring content integrity with frameworks like ISO/IEC TR 24028:2020.
• Asset Identifiers: Unique codes such as ISCC and UMid for secure content management.
• Rights Declarations: Defining content ownership and opt-out mechanisms (e.g., ai.txt, robots.txt).
• Watermarking: Technologies like JPEG Trust Part 3 and X.ig-dw for authenticity verification.

Recommendations for Policymakers & Industry

The AMAS policy paper offers practical checklists for regulators and technology providers:

• Adopt and reference internationally recognized standards to ensure interoperability.
• Implement PDR-based frameworks to prevent, detect, and respond to synthetic media threats.
• Collaborate across jurisdictions to reduce regulatory fragmentation.
• Promote digital literacy and public awareness campaigns to counter disinformation.

Conclusion

As AI reshapes the digital content landscape, trust and authenticity have become paramount. The AMAS reports highlight that by combining robust technical standards, proactive policy frameworks, and cross-sector collaboration, we can create a secure and trustworthy multimedia ecosystem. The fusion of innovation with ethical governance will determine how effectively societies can navigate the challenges of synthetic media.