By Admin. Updated 12:59 p.m., Thursday, April 3, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
A number of politicians in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have become targets of fake news and deepfake videos.
The targeted politicians primarily include members of the government, such as Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Tourism Minister Carlos James, and Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves, who is also the prime minister’s son.
It remains unclear who is responsible for creating the fake stories that appear on individuals’ Facebook timelines as sponsored posts.
In some instances, images that appear to be AI-generated are juxtaposed with less edited images of the politicians in question, with some depicting these officials being arrested.
Additionally, several local media outlets seem to be targeted as well.
The logos of two local media organizations have been incorporated into the fake news images.
One of the media organizations whose logo is being misused, St. Vincent Times, issued a statement on March 19, 2025, warning its readers about this issue.
Part of the statement read: “Today, we want to take a moment to address an important issue that affects our community and your online safety. We have received reports and have seen concerning images of a Facebook account impersonating St. Vincent Times that uses our logo to spread misinformation.”
The most recent post features a deepfake video showing an AI-generated version of Prime Minister Gonsalves being interviewed by a reporter. In the clip, the AI-generated voice bears intermittent resemblance to that of the Prime Minister while promoting an investment scheme.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1LKpgE9S5u/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The frequency of the posts on the timelines of users in St. Vincent and the Grenadines appears to have increased in recent times.
The country is expected to hold a General Election this year. The election is constitutionally due by November 2025 with a three-month grace period.
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