UK Royal Family, Prime Minister Deepfakes Make Rounds on Meta

Deepfake videos of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William are circulating on various Meta platforms, promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform called "Immediate Edge" to dupe unsuspecting viewers.

Advertisements featuring the AI-generated videos of Starmer announce that the platform he is "supporting" is not a scam, and that audiences who are viewing the video will receive a life-changing amount of money. Meanwhile, the deepfakes of Prince William are circulating in support of the PM, providing the Royal Family's purported endorsement of the crypto scheme.

"Good afternoon, honored citizens of the United Kingdom," stated the deepfake Prince William. "I am pleased to announce that I, Prince William, and the entire Royal Family fully support Prime Minister Keir Starmer's initiative and his new platform."

The financial disinformation campaign was uncovered by researchers at Fenimore Harper. According to their study, 250 of these advertisements have appeared on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram since the UK's July surprise election, and has reached up to 891,834 people who have collectively spent £21,053 due to the ads.

According to the researchers, some of these ads continue to circulate online, showcasing AI-powered disinformation campaigns' growth as a threat, and viewers should be cautious.