Deepfake video falsely depicts UK MP announcing defection to Reform UK
A deepfake video falsely depicted UK Conservative MP George Freeman announcing he had defected to Reform UK. Freeman reported the AI-generated video to Norfolk Police and called for stronger action against political disinformation on social media platforms.
What happened
A deepfake video circulating on social media depicted Conservative MP George Freeman announcing he had joined Reform UK. In the video, Freeman appeared to say 'the time for half measures is over' and that 'the Conservative party had lost its way'.
Freeman reported the video to Norfolk Police, stating it was 'an AI-generated deepfake' created without his knowledge or consent and using his image and voice without permission.
Reported impact
Freeman said the video was widely circulated on social media. He stated: 'This sort of political disinformation has the potential to seriously distort, disrupt and corrupt our democracy.'
Index analysis
Freeman noted a 'huge increase in political disinformation, disruption and extremism' in recent months and stated he did not know whether the incident was 'a politically motivated attack by political opponents or just a dangerous prank'.
Governance controls
Freeman called for robust action to tackle the growing issue of 'fake news', including on social media platforms. Facebook was approached for comment by the news outlet.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.