Deepfakes, Democracy, and the Ethics of Synthetic Media: A Synthesis of the SOLARIS Project

Authors

Yasaman Yousefi
DEXAI-Artificial Ethics
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1483-2978
Lucy Conover
Utrecht University, Freudenthal Institute
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5268-1441
Izidor Mlakar
University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4910-1879
Federica Russo
Utrecht University, Freudenthal Institute
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.feri.2.2026

Keywords:

synthetic content, democracy, generative artificial intelligence, deepfakes, disinformation, epistemic erosion, ethics in artificial intelligence, media literacy, democratic resilience, synthetic media for social good

Synopsis

This book presents an interdisciplinary synthesis of research findings from the Horizon Europe project SOLARIS. It systematically examines deepfake technologies as a structural threat to democratic institutions. Eight chapters integrate technological, psychometric, semiotic, legal, and political science perspectives, empirically analyzing both epistemic risks and potential positive applications of synthetic media. The authors critically examine generative neural network architectures, viral propagation mechanisms of disinformation in digital networks, and cognitive-affective factors in perceived trustworthiness of AI-generated content. The work identifies deepfake impacts on electoral integrity, epistemic erosion of public discourse, and asymmetric effects on marginalized populations. Critical evaluation of European regulatory instruments (AI Act, DSA) leads to formulation of innovative policy recommendations for systemic resilience of democratic processes. The research also documents positive implementations of synthetic media in pedagogical, cultural-documentary, and civic engagement contexts. This publication manily targets the research community, policymakers, media professionals, and technological actors.

Chapters

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Author Biographies

Yasaman Yousefi, DEXAI-Artificial Ethics

Yasaman Yousefi is a researcher at DEXAI-Artificial Ethics in Rome and the University of Bologna in Italy. She collaborates as co-editor of the SOLARIS project and co-author of the introductory chapter. Her work focuses on ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence, synthetic media, and digital justice issues. She contributes to interdisciplinary research on positive AI technology applications and to developing ethical guidelines for responsible use of generative models in social contexts.

Rome, Italy. E-mail: yasaman.yousefi@dexai.eu

Lucy Conover, Utrecht University, Freudenthal Institute

Lucy Conover is a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where she engages in interdisciplinary studies of synthetic media, democracy, and AI ethics. She is co-editor of the SOLARIS project monograph and co-author of the introductory chapter. Her research connects political theory, digital media, and questions of democratic resilience in the age of generative AI. She contributes to understanding the structural threats deepfake technologies pose to democratic institutions.

Utrecht, the Netherlands. E-mail: l.a.conover@uu.nl

Izidor Mlakar, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Izidor Mlakar is a researcher at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, where he leads the HUMADEX research group. He is co-editor of the SOLARIS project monograph and co-author of the introductory chapter and the chapter on the psychology of deception. His research encompasses artificial intelligence, conversational agents, natural language processing, and applications in eHealth and ambient assisted living. He serves as principal coordinator of several Horizon Europe international projects, including SOLARIS, SMILE, AI4HOPE, CERTAIN, SHIELD, and BIO-STREAMS. He contributes to developing advanced multimodal interfaces, explainable AI systems, and understanding psychological factors in synthetic media perception.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: izidor.mlakar@um.si

Federica Russo, Utrecht University, Freudenthal Institute

Federica Russo is a full professor, a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, focusing on philosophy of science, causality, and methodology for studying synthetic media. She is co-editor of the SOLARIS project and co-author of the introductory chapter. Her expertise encompasses epistemology, AI ethics, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the deepfake phenomenon. She contributes to developing theoretical frameworks for analyzing the impact of generative artificial intelligence on public discourse and trust in democratic processes.

Uztrecht, the Netherlands. E-mail: f.russo@uu.nl

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Published

February 10, 2026

Categories

Copyright (c) 2026 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Details about the available publication format: E-book (pdf)

E-book (pdf)

ISBN-13 (15)

978-961-299-109-8

COBISS.SI ID (00)

267279363

THEMA Subject Codes (93)

PDR, JBFV, UZQ, JBFM, GTXD

Date of first publication (11)

2026-02-10

Details about the available publication format: Hardback (in print)

Hardback (in print)

ISBN-13 (15)

978-961-299-110-4

COBISS.SI ID (00)

267249667

THEMA Subject Codes (93)

PDR, JBFV, UZQ, JBFM, GTXD

Date of first publication (11)

2026-02-10

Physical Dimensions

16.5cm x 23.5cm x 1.6cm

How to Cite

Yousefi, Y., Conover, L., Mlakar, I., & Russo, F. (Eds.). (2026). Deepfakes, Democracy, and the Ethics of Synthetic Media: A Synthesis of the SOLARIS Project. University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.feri.2.2026