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Norms or fun? The influence of ethical concerns and perceived enjoyment on the regulation of deepfake information

Minghui Li (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing, China)
Yan Wan (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing, China)

Internet Research

ISSN: 1066-2243

Article publication date: 16 June 2023

Issue publication date: 20 November 2023

1578

Abstract

Purpose

Deepfake information poses more ethical risks than traditional disinformation in terms of fraud, slander, rumors and other malicious uses. However, owing to its high entertainment value, deepfake information with ethical risks has become popular. This study aims to understand the role of ethics and entertainment in the acceptance and regulation of deepfake information.

Design/methodology/approach

Mixed methods were used to qualitatively identify ethical concerns and quantitatively evaluate the influence of ethical concerns and perceived enjoyment on the ethical acceptability and social acceptance of deepfake information.

Findings

The authors confirmed that informed consent, privacy protection, traceability and non-deception had a significantly positive impact on ethical acceptability and indirectly influenced social acceptance, with privacy protection being the most sensitive. Perceived enjoyment impacts the social acceptance of deepfake information and significantly weakens the effect of ethical acceptability on social acceptance.

Originality/value

The ethical concerns affecting acceptance behavior identified in this study provide an entry point for the ethical regulation of deepfake information. The weakening effect of perceived enjoyment on ethics serves as a wake-up call for regulators to guard against pan-entertainment deepfake information.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was funded and supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71874018), BUPT Excellent Ph.D. Students Foundation (No. CX2022235) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71942003).

Citation

Li, M. and Wan, Y. (2023), "Norms or fun? The influence of ethical concerns and perceived enjoyment on the regulation of deepfake information", Internet Research, Vol. 33 No. 5, pp. 1750-1773. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0561

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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