Deepfake video impersonates Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil on Facebook
Artificial intelligence was used to create a deepfake video that falsely depicted Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil advertising products and services on Facebook. The Sofia Holy Metropolia denied the Patriarch's involvement and reported the incident to state authorities.
What happened
A video circulated on Facebook in which artificial intelligence was used to substitute the face and voice of Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil to falsely depict him advertising products and services.
The Sofia Holy Metropolia stated that Patriarch Daniil did not participate in creating the video and the message it contained had nothing to do with Orthodox spirituality or Church teaching.
Reported impact
The video presented manipulative content allegedly showing the Patriarch in advertising that he did not endorse, exploiting his public position and religious authority.
Index analysis
The incident demonstrates the capability to misuse AI video synthesis tools to impersonate high-profile religious figures, creating false endorsements and misleading religious content.
Governance controls
The Sofia Holy Metropolia took measures to report the case to the competent state authorities and appealed to the public not to be deceived by such malicious manipulations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.