Inside Dupe Factories; Plus, We Test Dupes Vs Originals - Free Websites, Share News And Posts Publicly

Good morning.

‘Dupe’, short for duplicate, has become part of online lexicon – it refers to a cheaper alternative of a product from a bigger brand. But where older generations might see it as a thing to be ashamed of, Gen Zs proudly show off their dupe finds online.

To them, a good dupe serves the same vibes and function as the original, but at a much lower cost, making it more value for money.

But how good a bargain are dupes really? That’s what the talking Point team sought to find out.

The investigation brought the team to China where we found an entire eco-system built on the production and sales of dupes: From live streamers pushing products, to factories that can create said products in less than a week.

We also tested a bunch of dupe products, from activewear to electronics, to find out how they held up against the originals.

It is worth noting that dupes exist in a legally grey area. While a good dupe should not deceive consumers into thinking they are the original, it’s hard for consumers to know what trademarks and copyrights were infringed on. But the team found that there are certain types of dupe products that you can buy with a clear conscience.

And talking about things that almost resemble the original – we also investigated the world of deepfakes in a two-part special. We show you just how easy it is to create one in minutes with free online apps.

We also went to South Korea to see how the tech has been embraced by society. Imagine a world where AI humans serve and entertain you. We even met people who have made a living out of deep faking themselves!

Chan Luo Er & Charmain Tan

Producers, Talking Point

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