A doctored Facebook video falsely claiming a Nigerian doctor created a miracle cure for hypertension was viewed 33,000 times and spread across multiple accounts, potentially exposing viewers to health misinformation.
In November 2023, a manipulated video was posted on Facebook claiming that a Nigerian doctor had created a drug that cures high blood pressure forever. The video appeared to be a news story by Channels Television presented by anchor Kayode Okikiolu, with a caption reading 'Shocking Discovery'. The video claimed the drug normalizes blood pressure within three days and guarantees complete health. The video was posted across multiple Facebook accounts and viewed 33,000 times. Investigation revealed the video was doctored, with the newsreader's lip movements not matching the voice, and no trace of the story found on Channels TV's official website or YouTube channel. The video used manipulative tactics including emotive language and urgency, urging people to join a campaign that 'ends today'. Medical experts confirm that high blood pressure cannot be cured but can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication. The report warns that such content could cause people with serious health conditions to stop taking prescribed treatments, putting their lives at risk, and could make them victims of fraud.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
AI systems that inadvertently generate or spread incorrect or deceptive information, which can lead to inaccurate beliefs in users and undermine their autonomy. Humans that make decisions based on false beliefs can experience physical, emotional or material harms
AI system
Due to a decision or action made by an AI system
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed