Is Anything Online Real Anymore? | Sip Smarter Vancouver

The Pope in a puffer jacket wasn’t real. A UBC historian explains why you couldn’t tell — and what happens next. A UBC historian breaks down deepfakes, digital deception, and what happens next — over drinks. The Pope in a puffer jacket wasn’t real. Neither was the video of Trump dressed as the Pope. You’ve probably seen a dozen more deepfakes without realizing it — and the technology behind them is only getting harder to catch. This talk breaks down how we got here and why the old rules for spotting fakes simply don't work anymore. A UBC historian who advises governments on digital policy walks us through the history of political fabrication, the modern explosion of AI-generated media, and what — if anything — public policy and everyday citizens can actually do about it. Every Sip Smarter talk includes a 45-minute lecture followed by an open Q&A over drinks. SPEAKER Dr. Heidi Tworek is a Canada Research Chair and Professor of History and Public Policy at the University of British Columbia, where she directs the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions. An internationally recognized expert on media, health communication, and democratic governance, she regularly advises governments, democratic bodies, and tech policy groups worldwide on online harms, misinformation, and the regulation of digital platforms. “The only thing better than learning is the conversation after.”