Netflix's somewhat true crime doc

Skanky Vamp

Sniffin' the Slayer
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Black Thorn
from designtaxi

True-crime shows have raised an entire generation of amateur sleuths. Now, in the age of artificial intelligence, their skills have unwittingly been put to the test. Netflix is under the magnifying glass after viewers noticed some curious, seemingly altered photos of Jennifer Pan, the central figure of the new documentary, What Jennifer Did.

Pan’s story is a chilling one: a teenager convicted in 2015 for orchestrating the murder of her own parents in 2010. But it’s the documentary’s portrayal of Pan, not the crime itself, that has some viewers scratching their heads. There are some supposed inconsistencies in “photos” used throughout the feature, including images where Pan appears to have an extra-long tooth, weirdly proportioned hands, and even an inexplicable split in her cheek. These anomalies have many pointing fingers aimed squarely at AI manipulation.

It’s believed that AI was used to create variations on existing photographs of Pan herself.

One particularly glaring example is a photo of Pan flashing a peace sign with both hands. In this image, her left hand appears to be missing several fingers, while her right hand sports an unnaturally elongated thumb.

The use of AI-generated imagery in a true-crime documentary—built on the premise of presenting factual accounts—raises a critical question: where does one draw the line between storytelling and fabrication? This is especially concerning in Pan’s case, considering she's currently awaiting a new trial.
 
Well that is not remotely disturbing at all.
 
I can't say I'd even notice stuff like that, I'm watching the doc not looking for weird AI stuff.

I do like true crime docs, so might well watch this one.
 
I can't say I'd even notice stuff like that, I'm watching the doc not looking for weird AI stuff.
And that's the problem. A lot of the people won't notice so they can show any fake images they want on screen. But if they would fake photographic images where does it stop? Fake voicemails? Fake videos? Presenting knowingly incorrect "facts"?

What expectations are for a documentary to present 100% real information.
 
"This true crime documentary is 100% based on something."
 
What expectations are for a documentary to present 100% real information
I guess I've never thought they were 100% accurate, more based on a true story. They always edit them to show a particular angle or narrative.
 
Skanky Vamp
Skanky Vamp
I guess I don't watch enough. Certainly not Notflix.
I watched this one, the peace sign photo is used a lot, but in an obvious way so it seems like they didn't have many photos of her. I did notice her teeth, but maybe she does have odd teeth! Who knows.

It wad okay, but it's not a finished story with the retrials happening.
 
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