TikTok Removes AI-Generated Deepfake Video of Minister Haddad
An AI-generated deepfake video falsely depicting Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad making statements about taxing the poor was posted on TikTok. Brazil's federal government legal office notified the platform to remove it, and TikTok complied within 24 hours.
What happened
A manipulated video created with artificial intelligence was posted on TikTok showing Brazil's Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad making false statements about 'taxing the poor' and 'taxes on pet dogs'. The video exhibited perceptible alterations in lip movement and discrepancies in voice timbre typical of deepfake content.
On the evening of January 20, 2025, Brazil's Advocacia-Geral da União (AGU) notified TikTok with a 24-hour ultimatum to remove the video. The AGU noted the video had previously been removed and reposted by the same user.
Reported impact
The AGU characterized the video as deceptive and fraudulent material that sought to confuse the public through false information produced with generative AI.
Governance controls
TikTok removed the video on the morning of January 21, 2025, less than 24 hours after the AGU's notification.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.