Deepfake YouTube Ads Exploit Celebrity Likeness to Push Dubious Supplements

The advent of deepfake technology has revolutionized digital content, but its misuse continues to spark ethical and legal concerns. A recent scandal highlights how deepfake ads on YouTube are leveraging the likeness of global celebrities to market questionable erectile dysfunction supplements. These ads, featuring manipulated videos of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Mike Tyson, and Terry Crews, underline the challenges of regulating deceptive practices in the age of AI.

The Scandal: Exploiting Celebrity Personas

Discovered by Alexios Mantzarlis and documented in the Faked Up newsletter, these ads have been running since mid-November, amassing hundreds of variations. According to Google’s Ad Transparency Center, they use pre-existing footage paired with AI-generated voices and lip-syncing technology to make it appear as though these celebrities are endorsing the products.

The script—a bizarre narrative involving a “salt trick” or “midnight beetle powder”—is recycled across deepfake videos, highlighting the efficiency and impersonality of these scams. For instance, in one ad, a fake Schwarzenegger claims that a “secret simple mix” helps him “stay rock hard,” attributing its use to adult actors. These manipulated endorsements lure viewers into purchasing a supplement called “Prolong Power.”

The Sales Funnel: A Deepfake Deception

The ads direct users to websites like thrivewithcuriosity.com, where they are subjected to a 40-minute presentation claiming miraculous results from Prolong Power. The pitch, blending absurd claims and faux-scientific jargon, includes:

• A fabricated Harvard urologist.
• A bat species with “magnificent erections” discovered in Thailand.
• Manipulated interviews, such as a Today Show segment with Sylvester Stallone, repurposed to advertise the supplement.

Once convinced, users are routed to e-commerce platforms like digistore24.com to make their purchase. The supplement, primarily composed of mundane ingredients like oat bran and fennel seed, offers little to back its extraordinary claims.

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The Broader Problem: AI in Scam Culture

This case is not an isolated incident. In January 2024, YouTube reportedly removed over 1,000 similar ads using deepfake celebrity endorsements. While Google asserts it invests heavily in enforcement and detection technologies, the persistence of such ads reveals significant gaps.

A spokesperson for Google stated, “We prohibit ads that falsely claim a celebrity endorsement to scam people,” adding that accounts engaging in these practices are permanently suspended. However, the continuous reappearance of these scams suggests that the system struggles to outpace bad actors exploiting AI.

The Implications: Challenges for AI Regulation

This scandal underscores the darker side of deepfake technology:

1. Erosion of Trust: By manipulating trusted figures, these ads exploit the public’s trust in celebrities to give credibility to fraudulent products.
2. Legal Loopholes: The absence of stringent regulations for deepfakes allows scammers to operate with relative impunity.
3. Platform Responsibility: Platforms like YouTube and Google must implement more robust AI-driven detection and faster intervention mechanisms to curb such practices.

How to Protect Yourself?

Consumers can take steps to avoid falling victim to these scams:

• Scrutinize Claims: Be wary of extraordinary claims, especially those tied to “miracle cures.”
• Research Products: Verify the authenticity of products and testimonials through reliable sources.
• Report Suspicious Ads: Use platform tools to report ads that seem manipulative or false.

Conclusion:

The rise of deepfake technology highlights the dual-edged sword of innovation. While it enables creative advancements, its misuse poses severe risks to consumer trust and digital integrity. This case of fraudulent YouTube ads serves as a wake-up call for stronger regulatory frameworks, better technological safeguards, and increased public awareness to counteract the growing misuse of AI in digital spaces. Only through collective effort can we ensure that such technological progress serves society responsibly.