AI-generated videos used to spread racist narratives in Europe
Far-right figures have created and shared AI-generated videos depicting European cities in dystopian decline with Islamic and immigrant imagery to promote racist narratives, falsely suggesting AI predicts Europe's future. Despite platform moderation systems and guardrails, the videos have spread across social media and gained millions of views across multiple countries.
What happened
AI-generated videos depicting European cities in dystopian decline, with imagery associating Islam and immigrants with urban decay, have been created and spread by far-right figures across social media. Videos include depictions of London in 2050 with Arabic-style graffiti and Islamic imagery, and similar content showing Milan, Brussels, New York, and the Netherlands.
These videos can be made quickly using popular chatbots despite guardrails intended to block harmful content, according to experts. Far-right leaders including British activist Tommy Robinson have posted such videos to platforms including X and Facebook, with Robinson's June post of 'London in 2050' gaining over half a million views.
Reported impact
The videos falsely suggest AI is objectively predicting Europe's future and are used to promote racist views suggesting immigrants are 'replacing' white people. Experts warn such content amplifies harmful stereotypes that can fuel violence and has gained millions of views across social media platforms.
A London School of Economics researcher studying digital politics stated that 'mass radicalisation facilitated by AI is getting worse.' The Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO noted that moderation systems are consistently failing to prevent this content from being created and shared.
Index analysis
The content represents synthetic media designed to misrepresent demographic change and immigration as existential threats through AI-generated imagery combining Far-right narratives with deepfake video technology. The creator of Robinson's videos operates using a pseudonym and offers paid courses on how to produce similar AI content, extending the harm.
Platforms' moderation systems have failed to prevent creation and distribution despite stated guardrails. TikTok banned the creator account for repeatedly promoting hateful ideology and conspiracy theories, but the videos continue spreading across multiple platforms including X, Facebook, and TikTok.
Governance controls
TikTok has banned creator accounts posting such content for repeatedly promoting hateful ideology. X, owned by Elon Musk, has been identified as particularly effective at amplifying hate and disinformation despite moderation systems intended to block such content.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.