FaceGuard: Proactive Deepfake Detection
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Abstract (arXiv)
Existing deepfake-detection methods focus on passive detection, i.e., they detect fake face images via exploiting the artifacts produced during deepfake manipulation. A key limitation of passive detection is that it cannot detect fake faces that are generated by new deepfake generation methods. In this work, we propose FaceGuard, a proactive deepfake-detection framework. FaceGuard embeds a watermark into a real face image before it is published on social media. Given a face image that claims to be an individual (e.g., Nicolas Cage), FaceGuard extracts a watermark from it and predicts the face image to be fake if the extracted watermark does not match well with the individual's ground truth one. A key component of FaceGuard is a new deep-learning-based watermarking method, which is 1) robust to normal image post-processing such as JPEG compression, Gaussian blurring, cropping, and resizing, but 2) fragile to deepfake manipulation. Our evaluation on multiple datasets shows that FaceGuard can detect deepfakes accurately and outperforms existing methods.
Key facts. Cited by 16 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 30 of its 52 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 13 Sep 2021.
Builds on
30 of 52 references.
References · 30
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18 more
- 2018HiDDeN: Hiding Data With Deep Networkscited by 397
- 2019FSGAN: Subject Agnostic Face Swapping and Reenactmentcited by 320
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- 2020The DeepFake Detection Challenge (DFDC) Datasetcited by 132
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- 2018Two-Stream Neural Networks for Tampered Face Detectioncited by 125
- 2020Distortion Agnostic Deep Watermarkingcited by 90
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Citing papers per year: 2023: 5; 2024: 5; 2025: 5; 2026: 1.
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- 2023Evading Watermark based Detection of AI-Generated Contentcited by 78
- 2023BlendFace: Re-designing Identity Encoders for Face-Swappingcited by 66
- 2024LampMark: Proactive Deepfake Detection via Training-Free Landmark Perceptual Watermarkscited by 21
- 2025Deepfake Detection that Generalizes Across Benchmarkscited by 21
- 2023Robust Identity Perceptual Watermark Against Deepfake Face Swappingcited by 17
- 2023Differentiable JPEG: The Devil is in the Detailscited by 13
- 2023FakeTracer: Catching Face-swap DeepFakes via Implanting Traces in Trainingcited by 5
- 2025WaveGuard: Robust Deepfake Detection and Source Tracing via Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet and Graph Neural Networkscited by 5
- 2024ID-Guard: A Universal Framework for Combating Facial Manipulation via Breaking Identificationcited by 4
- 2025FractalForensics: Proactive Deepfake Detection and Localization via Fractal Watermarkscited by 4
- 2025Uncovering and Mitigating Destructive Multi-Embedding Attacks in Deepfake Proactive Forensicscited by 3
- 2024Proactive Schemes: A Survey of Adversarial Attacks for Social Goodcited by 2
4 more
- 2026All in One: Unifying Deepfake Detection, Tampering Localization, and Source Tracing with a Robust Landmark-Identity Watermarkcited by 2
- 2024Deep Learning Technology for Face Forgery Detection: A Surveycited by 0
- 2024Facial Features Matter: a Dynamic Watermark based Proactive Deepfake Detection Approachcited by 0
- 2025DeepForgeSeal: Latent Space-Driven Semi-Fragile Watermarking for Deepfake Detection Using Adversarial Reinforcement Learningcited by 0
- 2026All in One: Unifying Deepfake Detection, Tampering Localization, and Source Tracing with a Robust Landmark-Identity Watermark26 Feb 2026
- 2025DeepForgeSeal: Latent Space-Driven Semi-Fragile Watermarking for Deepfake Detection Using Adversarial Reinforcement Learning7 Nov 2025
- 2025Uncovering and Mitigating Destructive Multi-Embedding Attacks in Deepfake Proactive Forensics24 Aug 2025
- 2025Deepfake Detection that Generalizes Across Benchmarks8 Aug 2025
- 2025WaveGuard: Robust Deepfake Detection and Source Tracing via Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet and Graph Neural Networks13 May 2025
- 2025FractalForensics: Proactive Deepfake Detection and Localization via Fractal Watermarks13 Apr 2025
- 2024LampMark: Proactive Deepfake Detection via Training-Free Landmark Perceptual Watermarks26 Nov 2024
- 2024Facial Features Matter: a Dynamic Watermark based Proactive Deepfake Detection Approach22 Nov 2024
- 2024Proactive Schemes: A Survey of Adversarial Attacks for Social Good24 Sep 2024
- 2024Deep Learning Technology for Face Forgery Detection: A Survey22 Sep 2024
- 2024ID-Guard: A Universal Framework for Combating Facial Manipulation via Breaking Identification20 Sep 2024
- 2023Robust Identity Perceptual Watermark Against Deepfake Face Swapping2 Nov 2023
4 more
- 2023Evading Watermark based Detection of AI-Generated Contentcited by 78
- 2024LampMark: Proactive Deepfake Detection via Training-Free Landmark Perceptual Watermarkscited by 21
- 2023Robust Identity Perceptual Watermark Against Deepfake Face Swappingcited by 17
- 2025FractalForensics: Proactive Deepfake Detection and Localization via Fractal Watermarkscited by 4
- 2025Uncovering and Mitigating Destructive Multi-Embedding Attacks in Deepfake Proactive Forensicscited by 3
- 2026All in One: Unifying Deepfake Detection, Tampering Localization, and Source Tracing with a Robust Landmark-Identity Watermarkcited by 2
- 2025DeepForgeSeal: Latent Space-Driven Semi-Fragile Watermarking for Deepfake Detection Using Adversarial Reinforcement Learningcited by 0
- 2026All in One: Unifying Deepfake Detection, Tampering Localization, and Source Tracing with a Robust Landmark-Identity Watermark26 Feb 2026
- 2025DeepForgeSeal: Latent Space-Driven Semi-Fragile Watermarking for Deepfake Detection Using Adversarial Reinforcement Learning7 Nov 2025
- 2025Uncovering and Mitigating Destructive Multi-Embedding Attacks in Deepfake Proactive Forensics24 Aug 2025
- 2025FractalForensics: Proactive Deepfake Detection and Localization via Fractal Watermarks13 Apr 2025
- 2024LampMark: Proactive Deepfake Detection via Training-Free Landmark Perceptual Watermarks26 Nov 2024
- 2023Robust Identity Perceptual Watermark Against Deepfake Face Swapping2 Nov 2023
- 2023Evading Watermark based Detection of AI-Generated Content5 May 2023
- 2023BlendFace: Re-designing Identity Encoders for Face-Swappingcited by 66
- 2025Deepfake Detection that Generalizes Across Benchmarkscited by 21
- 2023Differentiable JPEG: The Devil is in the Detailscited by 13
- 2023FakeTracer: Catching Face-swap DeepFakes via Implanting Traces in Trainingcited by 5
- 2025WaveGuard: Robust Deepfake Detection and Source Tracing via Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet and Graph Neural Networkscited by 5
- 2024ID-Guard: A Universal Framework for Combating Facial Manipulation via Breaking Identificationcited by 4
- 2024Proactive Schemes: A Survey of Adversarial Attacks for Social Goodcited by 2
- 2024Deep Learning Technology for Face Forgery Detection: A Surveycited by 0
- 2024Facial Features Matter: a Dynamic Watermark based Proactive Deepfake Detection Approachcited by 0
- 2025Deepfake Detection that Generalizes Across Benchmarks8 Aug 2025
- 2025WaveGuard: Robust Deepfake Detection and Source Tracing via Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet and Graph Neural Networks13 May 2025
- 2024Facial Features Matter: a Dynamic Watermark based Proactive Deepfake Detection Approach22 Nov 2024
- 2024Proactive Schemes: A Survey of Adversarial Attacks for Social Good24 Sep 2024
- 2024Deep Learning Technology for Face Forgery Detection: A Survey22 Sep 2024
- 2024ID-Guard: A Universal Framework for Combating Facial Manipulation via Breaking Identification20 Sep 2024
- 2023Differentiable JPEG: The Devil is in the Details13 Sep 2023
- 2023FakeTracer: Catching Face-swap DeepFakes via Implanting Traces in Training27 Jul 2023
- 2023BlendFace: Re-designing Identity Encoders for Face-Swapping20 Jul 2023
Similar, not cited
Close in wording, no citation either way
- 2025Big Brother is Watching: Proactive Deepfake Detection via Learnable Hidden Face
- 2024FaceShield: Defending Facial Image against Deepfake Threats
- 2025Guard Me If You Know Me: Protecting Specific Face-Identity from Deepfakes
- 2022FaceSigns: Semi-Fragile Neural Watermarks for Media Authentication and Countering Deepfakes
- 2024Are Watermarks Bugs for Deepfake Detectors? Rethinking Proactive Forensics
- 2026GIFGuard: Proactive Forensics against Deepfakes in Facial GIFs via Spatiotemporal Watermarking
- 2024Deepfake Generation and Detection: A Benchmark and Survey
- 2021CMUA-Watermark: A Cross-Model Universal Adversarial Watermark for Combating Deepfakes