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The Guardian — Technology · September 12, 2026

Deepfakes are wrecking influencers’ credibility, one fake ad at a time

MarketingMedia Studies
THE AI ANGLE
Generating convincing deepfake videos and images to impersonate creators in unauthorized ads and scams

Generative AI is enabling bad actors and brands to easily scrape influencers' extensive online photos and videos to produce unauthorized deepfake endorsements and scam advertisements. This practice threatens creators' core business assets by diluting their personal brand credibility, eroding follower trust, and leaving them with few swift legal or platform-level remedies. For faculty, it highlights an emerging crisis in digital media where synthetic impersonation undermines the foundational authenticity that drives modern influencer marketing.

THE TEACHING ANGLE
Students can examine the tension between the commercial value of influencer authenticity and the platform architectures that profit from ad revenue while struggling to police synthetic impersonations.

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