AI-generated fake couples used in deceptive renovation ads on Chinese social media
Renovation contractors in China used AI-generated images of fake couples in social media posts on platforms like Xiaohongshu to deceive consumers into inquiring about renovation services. The synthetic people appeared identical across multiple posts from different accounts, violating Chinese regulations requiring AI-generated content to be labeled.
What happened
Users on Xiaohongshu and other Chinese social media platforms discovered multiple renovation advice posts featuring the same couple across different accounts, locations, and properties, with varying house photos but identical people in the images.
Investigation revealed that the couples in these posts were AI-generated synthetic people, not real homeowners. The posts followed a standardized template: opening with couple anxiety about renovation choices, describing comparisons of multiple contractors, and ending with guidance to private message for contractor recommendations.
Reported impact
Consumers reported difficulty distinguishing AI-generated content from genuine recommendations, with some users stating they were initially deceived and contacted by multiple accounts after engaging with the posts. A lawyer noted that using unidentified AI-generated images of people in commercial advertisements to impersonate real homeowners violates consumer protection laws and advertising standards in China.
Index analysis
The incident involved coordinated use of AI-generated imagery to create false testimonials at scale. Posts contained inconsistent facial lighting, blurred backgrounds, and lacked required AI generation labels mandated by Chinese regulations including the Regulations on Deep Synthesis of Internet Information Services and the Artificial Intelligence Generated and Synthesized Content Identification Methods (effective September 1, 2025).
Governance controls
Xiaohongshu responded that it is strengthening technical detection of AI-generated content and will process reports of rule violations immediately. Chinese law requires labeling of AI-generated content; failure to label violates multiple regulations and exposes violators to fines of 200,000 to 1,000,000 yuan under advertising law, plus potential civil liability for consumer fraud.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.