Calls For Urgent AI Regulation As Fake News Floods Social Media During Brazil Floods

Since early May, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has experienced devastating floods due to torrential rain which also lead to AI-generated misinformation.

At one point, the region saw four months’ worth of rainfall in just three days. 

This catastrophe has left over half a million people displaced and much of the state capital still submerged weeks later. 

It is the worst flooding disaster in Brazil’s history, with the ongoing rainy season likely prolonging the situation.

AI-Generated Misinformation Spreads Amid Crisis

Amid the chaos, misinformation has flourished with one notable instance involving an AI-generated image of a helicopter, branded with a local retailer’s logo, rescuing flood victims. 

This image was widely circulated on WhatsApp before being flagged by a popular Brazilian account, @mphistoria.

“The “photo” that is being shared like crazy on Zap. It is actually a prompt-generated image,” he wrote.

“These so-called “AI’s” must be regulated URGENTLY.”

The Brazilian tech outlet Nucleo identified 21 other AI-generated posts on Facebook and Instagram, some depicting fantastical scenes such as Christ comforting flood victims, while others appeared realistic enough to deceive viewers.

Challenges In Combating Misinformation

The scarcity of authentic images from the Rio Grande do Sul region has exacerbated the spread of AI-generated content. 

The demand for information combined with limited means to verify authenticity has created a fertile ground for misinformation. 

Meta’s strategy to label AI content rather than remove it has proven ineffective, as many misleading posts remain unflagged. 

Additionally, the lack of a watermarking system by image generators complicates efforts to trace and verify the origins of such content.

Feature Image Credit: @mphistoria Twitter