The 2025 Deepfake Threat Report

In 2025, deepfake incidents became a significant global concern, with 1,567 unique verified occurrences generating 296.4 billion media impressions across 3,253 reported incidents. These events, which include fake endorsements, impersonation, and defamation, had a profound impact on brand and reputation, accounting for 156.3 billion of the total media reach. Fraud incidents, while less widespread in terms of media reach, resulted in documented financial losses exceeding $1.28 billion, though the actual financial damage is likely much higher due to non-disclosure in over 80% of cases. A notable 20% of all deepfake incidents involved child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), raising significant concerns about personal safety and privacy. The rapid deployment of deepfakes in response to major world events, often within hours, highlights the growing sophistication and immediacy of these digital threats, which underscores the urgent need for enhanced detection and verification measures to counteract the potential harm caused by synthetic media.