AI-Generated Fake Pregnancy Posts About Actress Lisa Riley
AI-generated fake images of actress Lisa Riley appearing pregnant or holding a baby were posted on social media. Riley reported feeling upset by the posts, which were particularly painful given her previous public discussion of fertility struggles and IVF treatment.
What happened
AI-generated images showing actress Lisa Riley pregnant or holding a newborn baby were posted online without her consent. The images were designed to mislead social media users into thinking she had become pregnant and given birth.
Reported impact
Riley said she was "so upset" by the posts and described them as "absolutely horrendous." She noted that the posts were particularly distressing given that she has publicly discussed her fertility struggles and previous IVF treatment. Family members believed the fake posts, which compounded her upset.
Index analysis
The posts were shared on AI-generated Facebook pages along with fake news about Emmerdale and Coronation Street actors. Emmerdale's official Instagram account noted that multiple AI-generated pages are posting fake and damaging content about cast members and programmes.
Governance controls
Emmerdale's official account advised followers to report fake pages via standard methods and to follow only genuine news outlets.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.