Deepfake Crisis: Facebook Fraudulent Ads Impersonating UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Creadit by : Samuel Regan-Asante

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n a concerning revelation, Facebook found itself inundated with a barrage of fraudulent advertisements showcasing a deepfaked version of Rishi Sunak, the UK's Chancellor, ahead of the imminent general election. Recent research by communications company Fenimore Harper shed light on this disconcerting trend, uncovering 143 distinct ads impersonating the UK Prime Minister on the social media platform in the last month alone. It's estimated that these deceptive ads may have reached an audience exceeding 400,000 people.

According to Fenimore Harper's findings, the funding for these misleading advertisements originated from 23 different countries, including Turkey, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United States. The collective financial investment in promoting these deepfaked ads, spanning from December 8, 2023, to January 8, 2024, amounted to $16,500.

One notable example cited in The Guardian involved a fabricated ad showcasing a BBC newscast featuring Sunak. In this deepfaked video, Sunak purportedly announced that the UK government had decided to invest in a stock market app launched by Elon Musk. The deceptive clip then directed viewers to a counterfeit BBC news page, promoting an investment scam. The deepfake video, accessible on Fenimore Harper's website, appears convincingly realistic, potentially deceiving viewers unfamiliar with the concept of deepfakes.

Fenimore Harper emphasized that this marks the "first widespread paid promotion of a deepfaked video of a UK political figure." Despite the gravity of this situation, Meta, Facebook's parent company, has been grappling with election misinformation on its platforms for some time. A Meta spokesperson assured that the "vast majority" of the deceptive ads were disabled before the release of Fenimore Harper's report. Additionally, they stated that "less than 0.5 percent of UK users saw any individual ad that did go live."

In response to the escalating challenge of deepfaked political content, Meta announced its commitment to combat misinformation. Late last year, the company declared its intention to mandate advertisers to disclose whether politically or socially themed ads have undergone digital alterations. This rule is set to be enforced this year, with the aim of curbing the anticipated spread of fake news, particularly in connection with the upcoming US presidential elections.

As the battle against deceptive content intensifies, Meta's proactive measures to ensure transparency in advertising hold promise in mitigating the impact of deepfakes on public perception and safeguarding the integrity of political discourse on its platforms.

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DOWNLOAD FULL LIST OF 143 ADS