Deepfake videos misuse Polish cardinal's image for fraudulent ads
Deepfake videos featuring Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś of Kraków were discovered online advertising dietary supplements, medicines and investment funds. The Archdiocese of Kraków confirmed the videos were AI-generated deepfakes and that the cardinal never participated in such advertisements.
What happened
Deepfake videos appeared online featuring Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, the metropolitan of Kraków, promoting dietary supplements, medicines and investment funds.
The Archdiocese of Kraków issued a statement on 13 January 2026 identifying the videos as artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes and confirming that the cardinal never participated in any such advertisements.
Reported impact
The use of the cardinal's image violated his personal rights.
The Archdiocese warned the public against the fraud, manipulation and disinformation presented in the videos.
Governance controls
The Archdiocese directed the public to authentic recordings of Cardinal Ryś available on the Archdiocese's official website and social media channels to help distinguish genuine content from deepfakes.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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