Deepfake celebrity endorsements among growing threats to healthcare information online

Deepfakes present a growing health risk as AI-generated media increasingly infiltrates healthcare information online. The emergence of highly realistic but fake videos endorsing unproven treatments, promoting dangerous alternatives to medical care, and spreading public health misinformation creates significant challenges for consumers seeking reliable health guidance. This trend is especially concerning as more people turn to telehealth and internet resources for medical advice, requiring new critical thinking skills to navigate an information landscape where seeing is no longer believing.

The growing threat: Deepfake technology is evolving from entertaining viral videos to dangerous health misinformation that could harm patients and public health.

• Celebrity deepfakes endorsing “miracle cures” and supplements have proliferated, with Tom Hanks publicly warning about fake videos showing him promoting unproven health products.
• Multiple cases have emerged of deepfake videos featuring well-known professionals used to sell illegal or bootleg medications for serious conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Health charities have become targets, with Australia‘s Diabetes Victoria reporting deepfake footage of experts falsely endorsing supplements as alternatives to legitimate medical treatment.

Public health implications: The spread of deepfake health content threatens to undermine critical public health initiatives during emergencies.

• Misinformation spread through fake videos of celebrities or healthcare professionals could reduce compliance with essential public health measures like mask-wearing or hand-washing during disease outbreaks.
• The authenticity problem exacerbates existing challenges in navigating the already overwhelming volume of health, exercise, and diet information available online.

Protective measures: Solutions are emerging at both regulatory and individual levels to combat health-related deepfakes.

• Several jurisdictions have begun implementing regulations, including the EU AI Act, China‘s Generative AI Measures, and various US state laws that contain provisions to prevent harm from deepfakes.
• For individuals, the most effective defense involves developing critical thinking skills, verifying information sources, checking for reliability, and looking for technical signs that content may be AI-generated.