, Feb. 23 -- Deepfakes were initially used in the entertainment industry. For example, an actress in France, who was unable to film her parts in person for a soap opera due to Covid restrictions, still played the role thanks to deepfakes. In the health industry, deep-learning algorithms, which are responsible for deepfakes, are used to detect tumours through pattern-matching in images.

But these positive applications are few and far between. There are rising global concerns about the effect deepfakes might have on democratic elections. Recent reports suggest that deepfakes are on the rise in South Africa and that South Africans seemingly struggle to spot them.

It is worrying, then, that South Africa's government hasn't yet taken any leg...