Deepfake Video of New Zealand Endocrinologist Promotes Misleading Diabetes Treatment
A deepfake video using the likeness of University of Otago endocrinologist Sir Jim Mann circulated on social media, falsely showing him endorsing a product called Glyco Balance and urging people with type 2 diabetes to stop taking Metformin. The video, posted to a Facebook page for Smart Hemp Gummies, was designed to look like a news report and caused confusion among some people who believed it was authentic.
What happened
A deepfake video using the likeness of Sir Jim Mann, an endocrinologist at the University of Otago, was posted to a Facebook page for Smart Hemp Gummies. The video was designed to appear as a 1News news clip and falsely showed Mann urging people with type 2 diabetes to stop taking Metformin and instead use alternative natural products, specifically promoting a product called Glyco Balance.
Mann first became aware of the video on Monday morning via text message and subsequently received numerous messages from people who had seen the video. Some people congratulated him on discovering a new product and accused mainstream doctors of being frauds, while others warned him that he had been scammed. The post was reportedly removed but has occasionally resurfaced.
Reported impact
Mann expressed extreme concern that people who trust him might be misled by the advertisements in ways that could adversely affect their health. He noted that even intelligent and reasonable people, including those he knew, had been taken in by the video, and stated he had no way of knowing how many people were actually deceived.
As patron of Diabetes New Zealand, Mann was particularly concerned about the potential harm given his public profile. He emphasized that AI technology used to manipulate his likeness made it difficult for people to distinguish between authentic and fake endorsements, especially when claims seemed too good to be true.
Index analysis
The incident demonstrates the vulnerability of medical professionals and authority figures to AI-generated deepfakes that can be weaponized for commercial fraud. The video's design as a news report format and the use of a trusted medical expert's likeness amplified its potential credibility and reach.
The ease with which the deepfake was created and circulated highlights emerging risks of AI technology being misused to promote unproven health treatments and potentially endanger people who might stop taking necessary medications based on false information.
Governance controls
The video was removed from the Facebook page after being identified, though Mann noted it has occasionally resurfaced. Mann advised people to verify information directly from reliable sources and to be skeptical of health claims that sound too good to be true.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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