AI-generated deepfake video of deceased broadcasters causes emotional distress
An AI-generated deepfake video showing deceased Argentine broadcasters Jorge Guinzburg and Ernestina Pais in a fabricated reunion circulated on social media. Malena Guinzburg, Jorge's daughter, reported emotional distress at viewing the highly realistic synthetic video, which was intended as a tribute but caused her discomfort at seeing her father perform actions he never actually performed.
What happened
An AI-generated video circulated on social media depicting a reunion between Jorge Guinzburg and Ernestina Pais, two deceased broadcasters who had worked together on the program Mañanas Informales.
The video was created to commemorate the pair following the recent death of Ernestina Pais, with the synthetic video showing them together in a fabricated scenario with high visual realism.
Reported impact
Malena Guinzburg, Jorge Guinzburg's daughter, reported experiencing emotional distress upon viewing the deepfake video. She stated: 'A mí me costó un huevo ver ese video' (It was very difficult for me to watch that video) and described the experience as creating an overwhelming and unsettling sensation.
Guinzburg said the realism of the video made it particularly impactful, noting that many people sent her the video describing it as beautiful, but she found it disturbing to see her deceased father performing actions he never actually performed. She expressed uncertainty about whether she approves of technology that allows 'making the dead speak.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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