Conspirador Norteño Profile picture
Data Scientist/Musician/Participant in the General Confusion @trutherbotprop Resist autocracy and research/counter disinformation. I serve the realm.

Jun 6, 2022, 6 tweets

Meet @joanne_dunham, an alleged #resist account with a GAN-generated face pic that lies about using an artificially generated face pic when asked.

("GAN" = "generative adversarial network", the technology used by thispersondoesnotexist.com to generate fake faces)

cc:@ZellaQuixote

There are multiple signs that @joanne_dunham's profile pic is GAN-generated: blurry, surreal clothing that seems to merge with the background, a distorted earring that only exists on one ear, unrealistic teeth, etc.

One of the more obvious traits of (unmodified) GAN-generated face images is that the major facial features (particularly the eyes) are in the same position on each image. This anomaly becomes obvious when one blends a bunch of GAN-generated faces together:

Despite being only two months old and having relatively few followers, this likely inauthentic account has managed to send tweets viral on several occasions. (Anecdotally, they appear to be baiting large liberal accounts into following/engaging with them.)

Two recurring themes of @joanne_dunham's tweets: obsequious praise for Joe Biden and frequent calls to primary more left-leaning members of Congress.

Possible goal: stir up fights between centrists and leftists and thereby increase divisions between likely Democratic voters.

More on GAN-generated profile pics and their use on (mostly) Twitter here:

Some tips for detecting GAN-generated profile pics:

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