![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\/41562b00-ccea-482d-bfd4-222bbf46ce2b.gif\")
<\/p>\n
An AI version of Gabor Mate, making claims about beetroot gummies<\/p>\n
Rather than a message from beyond the grave, this video is instead an example of countless deepfake videos of well-known health experts, all selling supplements and vitamins on social media. <\/p>\n
Alongside Mosley, The Times has also found hundreds of faked videos, including some impersonating figures such as Tim Spector, the founder of health brand Zoe<\/a>; Gabor Mate, the Hungarian physician; and Deepak Chopra, an advocate of alternative medicine. <\/p>\n Many of the videos are initially taken from well-known podcasts such as On Purpose with Jay Shetty, or Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, many with slightly warped podcast logos still visible. <\/p>\n Combined, more than 1.5 million people follow the accounts found by The Times, and each account posted hundreds of AI-generated videos. <\/p>\n \u2018More difficult to determine what is real\u2019<\/p>\n The government has predicted that eight million faked videos will be shared on social media this year alone. <\/p>\n \u201cAI slop\u201d, as it has come to be known<\/a>, is everywhere because it is exceptionally easy to create \u2014 with some simple videos taking minutes to create. <\/p>\n For those studying it, the speed of advancement is dizzying. Sam Stockwell, a researcher at the Turing Institute, said: \u201cWe are now measuring advancements in generative AI and deepfakes within the space of 12 or 18 days, whereas previously it used to be 12 or 18 months \u2026 It\u2019s a few weeks rather than months or years where new models come out. <\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, the trends are only showing that it\u2019s probably just becoming even quicker and more difficult to determine what\u2019s real and what\u2019s fake.\u201d <\/p>\n Tim Spector, the founder of Zoe, has also been used to create a deepfake video<\/p>\n These advancements are so rapid that, according to Stockwell, it will soon get \u201cto the point where it\u2019s almost impossible to tell on your feed whether content is AI-generated<\/a> or not\u201d. <\/p>\n According to research conducted by Ofcom, it is already prolific. Four in ten adults said that they had encountered misinformation or deepfake content in 2024 in the previous four weeks. <\/p>\n \u201cUnder the UK\u2019s Online Safety Act, tech firms must now take action when they become aware of illegal content or activity on their platform \u2014 including fraud,\u201d an Ofcom spokesman said. <\/p>\n \u201cOfcom\u2019s job is to make sure sites and apps have appropriate systems and processes in place to comply with this duty, rather than tell providers which posts or accounts to take down. We\u2019re closely scrutinising companies\u2019 compliance with their duties, and have already launched investigations into several platforms.\u201d <\/p>\n A government spokesman said: \u201cDeceptive online ads promising quick-fix health benefits are tricking people into spending money on products that don\u2019t work or may not even exist. Social media companies must take greater responsibility for stopping these bogus products from being promoted or sold on their platforms, and people should always use trusted sources like the NHS website or speak to their GP for reliable health advice.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder the Online Safety Act, social media platforms must proactively tackle illegal fraudulent content, including fraud by false representation and scam ads, which is shared or generated by users on social media \u2014 or face enforcement action.\u201d<\/p>\n A Meta spokesman said: \u201cOur community standards apply to all content posted on our platforms regardless of whether it is AI generated or not. We will review the content shared with us by The Times and take action against any that break these rules.\u201d<\/p>\n The content also often targets specific demographics, using highly radicalised or misogynistic language to lure in social media users. One, selling moringa powder, advises that \u201cyou deserve to be cheated on for not taking moringa every day\u201d and another recommends that a dose of a herbal supplement can \u201cimprove smell down there\u201d. <\/p>\n This, according to Stockwell, is a common trope of misinformation. \u201cAn organisation called Sensity AI found in 2019 that 96 per cent of deepfakes were non-consensual, sexual in nature and targeted women \u2026 I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if similar misogynistic patterns show up in the healthcare space.\u201d<\/p>\n Why supplements? <\/p>\n More than a million people follow these accounts, despite the clear warning signs that the content might be faked. Deepfakes are often political<\/a> or sexual in nature. There are clear motivations behind the posts \u2014 but why do these wellness-related videos have such wide appeal? <\/p>\n \u201cWe live in a world where every ill should have a pill,\u201d Aisling Pigott, a registered dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson, said. \u201cPeople want a quick fix \u2014 and unfortunately, when it comes to health, it\u2019s much more nuanced than that.<\/p>\n![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\/f051248a-3592-420f-9738-0372d799220d.gif\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\/298319e9-d67e-4346-b03b-ef7dfcb14bd5.gif\")
<\/p>\n