AI-generated video impersonating Professor Wang Liqun posted to local government account
An AI-generated video impersonating Professor Wang Liqun was posted by Long Gang Town Government's social media account on May 31, 2025, promoting fitness methods without his consent. The town government deactivated the account, interviewed responsible staff, and stated it would pursue legal action.
What happened
On May 31, 2025, a video featuring AI-generated likeness of Professor Wang Liqun was posted to a Tiktok-like account registered to Long Gang Town Government in Suixian County, Shangqiu, Henan Province. The account, registered on May 30, 2025, was supposed to be run by the town government in collaboration with a third-party team to publish agricultural information.
The video showed a synthetic version of Wang Liqun promoting fitness methods and telling viewers that touching his profile would connect them to customer service for more videos. The video lacked labeling as AI-generated content despite obvious signs including distorted mouth movements and unnatural speech. Wang Liqun did not consent to the use of his image or voice.
Reported impact
Wang Liqun stated in social media that the incident was illegal, seriously damaged his academic reputation, and violated rule of law principles. He demanded a public apology from the town government and retained the right to pursue legal action.
A legal analyst noted that the incident violated Wang Liqun's right to his own likeness and voice, and that the government could be liable if the account was an official government account used outside the scope of public duties.
Index analysis
The video was created using AI synthesis technology to generate audio and video content featuring Professor Wang Liqun without authorization. The synthetic video was uploaded to a social media account that bore the official identity of Long Gang Town Government, lending false legitimacy to the content and potentially misleading viewers about its source and authenticity.
Governance controls
On June 1, 2025, the town government's video account was deactivated. Staff were interviewed by propaganda and public security departments. The town government terminated the third-party cooperation arrangement and stated it would pursue legal liability.
A legal analyst noted that platforms should label suspected AI-generated videos, track infringing content, and take immediate action such as removing links or taking down content when they discover or receive reports of suspected copyright violations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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