The social media platform TikTok and various online networks are hosting artificially created manipulated clips of doctors whose words have been altered to help sell dietary products and circulate false medical claims.
Uncovering the Scheme
A factchecking organisation has discovered hundreds of these types of clips including digital copies of physicians and online personalities directing viewers to a US-based supplements firm.
Each of the synthetic videos involve authentic video of a medical authority taken from the web. However, the pictures and audio have been reworked so that the speakers are encouraging women going through menopause to buy products such as gut health supplements from the company’s website.
“This represents a sinister and worrying new tactic,” stated the factchecker who conducted the investigation.
Professionals Impersonated
Prof David Taylor-Robinson is among those whose likeness has been manipulated. He was shocked to discover that altered footage claiming to depict him recommending products with unverified claims were being shared online.
Though he is a specialist in pediatrics, in one video the digital impersonation of him was discussing an alleged menopause side-effect. The fabricated version recommended that women go to a site and buy a natural probiotic featuring herbal ingredients chosen to tackle menopausal symptoms.
“It was very disorienting to begin with – all quite surreal,” the real professional commented. “I did not feel intensely wronged, but I did become increasingly frustrated at the notion of people selling products off the back of my reputation and the health misinformation being spread.”
Platform Response
The platform removed the videos several weeks after reports were made. “At first, they said a portion of the clips violated their guidelines but others were acceptable. That was illogical – and strange,” the professional stated.
The factcheckers also identified similar deepfakes on other major platforms, all connected with the same supplements company.
Company Statement
The firm in question stated to researchers that deepfake videos directing individuals to access its website were “completely unrelated” with its operations. It said it had “never used synthetic media”, but “is unable to monitor affiliates globally”.
Political and Regulatory Calls
Lawmakers have said that “From fraudulent physicians to automated accounts that encourage suicide, artificial intelligence is being used to exploit innocent people.”
“If these were people deceptively posing to be medical doctors they would face legal charges. Why is the digital equivalent being tolerated?” they questioned.
Calls have been made for synthetic impersonations posing as medical professionals to be “eradicated”, with clinically approved tools actively recommended.
Industry-Wide Challenge
A representative for the video-sharing app said: “Dangerously deceptive AI-generated content is an problem across the tech sector, and we are investing in novel methods to detect and remove content that violates our community guidelines.”
