NBC News demands Trump campaign take down fake clip of reporter | Semafor
NBC News demands Trump campaign take down fake clip of reporter | Semafor
A senior Trump advisor shared a video that seems to show an NBC reporter badmouthing Republican presidential candidates. It appears AI was used to imitate the reporter's voice.
The video in question, shared by a top Trump adviser, opens with authentic footage of NBC News senior Capitol Hill correspondent Garrett Haake previewing the debate for the network. It soon cuts to video of each candidate as a voiceover — in Haake’s voice — makes disparaging comments about the candidates.
“This is Ron DeSantis: An establishment RINO that wears insoles in order to look taller,” the voiceover says. “And this is Nikki Haley: Nobody really gives a shit about Nikki Haley.”
I guarantee you there are a significant number of Trump fans to whom it wouldn't even occur that an NBC news correspondent wouldn't intentionally say 'shit' on a national news broadcast.
Yep. The teabaggers are not really known for being all that sentient.
It will be interesting what this form of yellow journalism will look like in a few short years...
Here is the video. It is actually pretty funny. I hate Trump as much as the next lemming, but this really is an obvious parody once you watch the whole video. I think NBC is complaining not because of the parody, but because the fake voice-over is too good and sets a bad precedent. It shows how good the tech is and how it could be used more subtly to create fake news (not that there aren't already many ways to do that).
https://x.com/lacivitac/status/1722390782387089643?s=46&t=a3ohj6oncFjZ8uOAQMEdJg
It's not really that obvious that it's a parody. You're right about the voice-over being too good and it's a very very dangerous precedent.
I'm actually really worried about the complete inability for viewers of media to know what's real and what's fake given how good the tech is. I know not to trust almost anything on the internet, but so many people don't know that.
There's probably a good case for NBC to sue over this.
Exactly. This isn't about hating Trump, it's about a potentially powerful tool becoming basically free, with the potential to ruin the ability to trust our own eyes and ears.
While the wilfully ignorant majority believe everything they see and hear. Which is why it was done in the first place.
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Etc.
I laughed, at first, but now I simply feel fear for the future where anything could be a lie. And if everything's a lie, nothing is the truth. Much of the world stands in a terrifying post-truth political reality as AI begins to take off to enable it.
When nothing is true, anything is possible.
Agreed. It's clearly intended to be funny. The fact that people are losing their minds about this and think it should be legally actionable are a) wrong, and b) terrifying me, because this is clearly parody and protected by the first amendment. I hate Trump too, but that doesn't mean we should seek to set legal precedent that limits the ability of people to make fun of the political process. Sheesh. That goes nowhere good.
Well, we warned you all, but you didn't listen. Expect tons of this garbage next year, and more importantly, expect it to work.
Good to see from NBC.
We are just starting the misinformation age, it will get worse
I would say before we were in the misinformation age. I think I'd call this coming stuff the disinformation age. Disinformation existed before, but this is another level. Creating totally new information to mislead people is somewhat different that misrepresenting what happened.
Unfortunately I think we've been living in it for awhile already. All you need to do is say a thing with a big enough platform and the people decide if they want to believe it or not. They don't care if it's factual, they just care who's saying it.
Video posted November 8. Little late…
Libel, fraud, and trademark infringement are not protected by the 1st amendment.
The question would be if an average person viewing the video would know that it was fake or if they would believe that the reporter had actually said those things.
If the average person would be misled about their reporting, NBC certainly has a case against the video's use.
I can't create a deepfake of Donald Trump saying that he loves Hitler and plans to continue his agenda if he wins the election "for the lolz" and post it online without facing serious legal consequences, even if I am protected in doing the same with a cartoon version of him voiced by a parody impersonation.
You actually are protected to do that, assuming it's clear to the viewer it's being used with humorous intent to be critical of Trump. Even the current congressional legislation on this topic carves out exceptions for digital manipulation and construction for parody, satire, and criticism.
If you've watched the video, I'm surprised you don't find it an obvious attempt at humor.
Don't demand. Sue.
First demand, then sue. Can't get the suit to court if you can't show that you tried asking first.
Also, even if you’re suing - litigation can take months/years. But the damage is done instantly. I don’t think there’s an easy solution here.
You can, the main difference is that if they refuse you can prove stuff like intent to demand higher damages
That's not true. You don't have to ask someone to stop committing defamation before suing them for defamation.
For what??? Lmfao.
Defamation, slander, libel, something along those lines.
Damages to their reputation as a professional? Which would lead to loss in viewers, which would lead to loss in advertising revenue, which can be a LOT of money.