Associated Incidents
A leading diabetes specialist is alarmed that a fake news video using his image that urges people to stop taking their medicine may lead to people becoming sick.
The University of Otago is concerned about a deepfake video and false story featuring one of its leading endocrinologists circulating on social media.
University of Otago professor Sir Jim Mann's likeness has been used in advertisements online encouraging people with type 2 diabetes to stop taking the medication Metformin and instead use alternative natural products.
Mann's likeness was used in a video that looked and sounded like a 1News clip, accompanied by a false online story.
The video was posted to the Facebook page Smart Hemp Gummies, and used to promote the product Glyco Balance.
Mann told the Herald he was extremely concerned people who trust him may be misled by these advertisements in a way that could adversely influence their health.
He first became aware of the manipulated video on Monday morning when he received a text message alerting him to its existence.
"That was really the first time I saw it. And then I was just bombarded after that with texts, emails from two groups of people ... One [group was] saying, 'Congratulations on this wonderful new product ... that you've discovered and great that you've exposed all these medics and other people as being frauds ... where can I get the product?' And other people who said, 'For goodness sake, be aware, you've been scammed'," he said.
The widespread belief in the video was deeply troubling, he said.
"There were some really very reasonable, intelligent people who had completely taken it, including people that I know well ... Goodness knows how many people have been taken in."