Jimmy Donaldson, better known as YouTube sensation MrBeast, has brought attention to the issue of deepfake scams on social media platforms, specifically calling out TikTok for its lax handling of a fraudulent advertisement. The ad featured a deepfake version of MrBeast offering $2 iPhones, prompting him to question whether social media platforms are equipped to deal with the proliferation of AI-driven deepfake content.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), MrBeast expressed his concerns, stating, "Lots of people are getting this deepfake scam ad of me ... are social media platforms ready to handle the rise of AI deepfakes? This is a serious problem."
Deepfakes are a form of synthetic media in which an individual's face is seamlessly replaced with that of another person. This technology has advanced to the point where identifying deepfake images and videos has become increasingly challenging.
Although TikTok has since removed the MrBeast deepfake ad, the platform declined to comment but directed NBC News to its advertising policies, which mandate that "Synthetic or manipulated media showing realistic scenes must be clearly disclosed or labeled in the video."
The MrBeast ad, while not flawless, underscores the growing realism that AI brings to deepfake content and the potential for deception. The video featured an AI version of MrBeast, with a voice that did not sound like his own, offering a limited number of people the chance to obtain an iPhone 15 Pro for just $2 in a supposed giveaway.
The video showcased MrBeast's logo and a username with a verified checkmark, mimicking the appearance of a real verified account. However, a reverse image search on Google revealed that the image used in the alleged Instagram post advertising the giveaway was originally a thumbnail in a video by YouTuber ZHC titled "I Surprised MrBeast With Custom iPhones!" The page also displayed a countdown indicating the diminishing availability of iPhones, prompting users to confirm their age and showcasing several "satisfied customers" who had supposedly won the iPhones.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing sophistication of AI-driven deepfake technology and the need for social media platforms to adopt robust measures to detect and prevent fraudulent content from infiltrating their platforms.
Comments