Deepfake 'doctors' take to TikTok to peddle bogus cures

Once confined to research labs, generative AI is now available to anyone – including those with ill intentions, who use AI tools not to spark creativity, but to fuel deception instead. Deepfake technology, which can craft remarkably lifelike videos, images and audio, is increasingly becoming a go-to not just for celebrity impersonation stunts or efforts to sway public opinion, but also for identity theft and all manner of scams.

On social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the reach of deepfakes, along with their potential for harm, can be especially staggering. ESET researchers in Latin America recently came across a campaign on TikTok and Instagram where AI-generated avatars posed as gynecologists, dietitians and other health professionals to promote supplements and wellness products. These videos, often highly polished and persuasive, disguise sales pitches as medical advice, duping the unwary into making questionable and potentially outright risky purchases.

Anatomy of a deception

Each ...