The majority of these artificial images do not indicate in the post or on the page that they are AI-generated, despite Meta requiring users to label AI-generated content on its platforms while the company is working on ways to automatically detect such content.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment.
As creative AI technology makes it easier to spread misleading content and outright misinformation, information researchers have become concerned about the implications of unchecked AI images on social platforms.
While certain AI-generated art marks may make it easier to tell genuine images from artificial ones, according to comments on many posts, the current lack of systematic labeling may cause some consumers — especially the elderly — to spot fake content. are falling for These Facebook pages haven’t revealed clear objectives for their AI spam, but users are already pointing out the possibility of a scam operation.
The Stanford study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, also found that some of the photos posted by Facebook pages were stolen from other people or organizations, including a Georgia church and a windmill. Sellers, and then converted back to AI spam. Pages
One such page, now filled with AI images of Jesus and flight attendants, named a high school band in North Carolina. Davie County Schools spokeswoman Karen Jarvis confirmed in an email that the “Davie High School War Eagle Bands” page is no longer affiliated with the school, forcing a new page to be created.
“Actually, this was the original DCHS band Facebook page, but was hijacked by our high school band, and has since become what you see today,” Jarvis wrote. Numerous attempts have been made (by the band director, school officials, current band members, and alumni) to regain control, report the page/photos, etc., but Facebook has not responded. “
This trend has also led some observers to speculate that these pages are luring abusers to identify potential targets for the scam.
“AI-generated content is a boon for spam and scam actors because images are easy to create, often visually appealing, and attract engagement,” the Stanford researchers wrote in their preprint paper. “
He wrote that these pages use a “batch of unauthentic followers” to make themselves look more legitimate as well as engage with genuine commenters, and that scam accounts sometimes impersonate those commenters. Obtain personal information from users or try to sell them counterfeit products.
An NBC News search found multiple responses from accounts asking commenters to be friends, each using a similar script. One commenter wrote, “Love it!! How cute!!” The AI-generated photo, of a toddler snuggled up in a basket of kittens, received a response within hours from a recently created account called Stephen Townsend. The account, which did not respond to a request for comment, did not display any personal information or posts other than a profile and cover photo, both of which were uploaded on the same day.
“Hi, I’m really impressed with your profile and personality. I also appreciate your sense of humor here. I don’t usually write in the comment section, but I think you deserve this compliment. ” replied the profile. “I want to be your friend. Please send me a friend request. If you don’t mind. Thanks.”
This is the same style of comments found on Facebook, which are usually left as replies to popular AI posts as well as comments directly on users’ profile pages. Some users suspect that these pages are running a possible scam campaign and are even leaving their comments to warn people who might be unable to distinguish some of the AI-generated images.
Hazel Thayer, a Facebook user who shared several strange images on TikTok after seeing them in her feed a few weeks ago, said she now gets such AI images every 10 posts: “I just scroll I just got one – it was four posts.
And from his perspective, it sure looks like some fake activity.
“Because if you look at the comments from these friggin’ crab Jesuses, all these people are going ‘Amen,'” Thayer said. “I don’t think anyone is going ‘Hallelujah’ to our shrimp owner.”