China Police Detain Two Gangs Involved in Creating Fake News Using ChatGPT
Chinese authorities have taken strong action against two separate groups that were using OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI bot to create fake videos, resulting in their detention. One of the gangs was apprehended in May while the other was caught last month.
In a bid to enhance control, Chinese authorities removed 1.4 million social media posts and deleted 67,000 social media accounts in May. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that generates responses based on user prompts and questions.
ChatGPT-like chatbots have been identified by news-rating group NewsGuard as the source behind a number of fake news articles on various news websites. These articles have also used ChatGPT to create deepfakes—digital images and videos that are convincingly realistic and difficult to detect as forgeries.
According to a report by Business Insider, the use of ChatGPT-generated deepfakes is a significant concern due to their ability to deceive without being easily discernible. Recent information from IT Home confirms that Chinese police have apprehended two gangs using ChatGPT to spread disinformation through deepfake videos.
A police report from Gansu province in northwest China mentions one of the gang members, identified only by the surname Hong, who admitted to using ChatGPT to create a fake news article about a train crash that claimed the lives of nine construction workers in Gansu.
Hong’s arrest represents the first case since the implementation of China’s regulations on deepfake technology in January. This law aims to prevent the misuse of technology that can manipulate faces and voice data.
Even reputable news sources were deceived by this viral fake story, which eventually reached 15,000 views before it was taken down. The police statement emphasized that Hong had used modern technology to fabricate false information and spread it widely on the internet.
The Shangyu police discovered that the same gang had illegally purchased multiple video accounts in May to create fake videos using ChatGPT. On June 2, during an online investigation, the police encountered a video posted by an app user named Shangyi Explanation reporting a fire in Shangyu Industrial Park. The video quickly gained traction online and attracted hundreds of views.
Upon examination, the police determined the video to be fake and began to investigate a tech group in another province responsible for similar fraudulent videos. On June 5, the police arrested three suspects from different provinces.
The gang exploited ChatGPT to produce fake videos with the aim of generating traffic and ultimately profiting as a group. To date, they have illegally acquired over 1,500 video accounts and posted more than 3,000 fake videos. While the apprehended suspects have admitted to their involvement, the police are still investigating to uncover any additional participants. It is important to note that this gang has no affiliation with OpenAI or ChatGPT. In fact, ChatGPT is banned in China.
Chinese regulators have reportedly limited access to ChatGPT, although some users can still bypass these restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs). The spread of misinformation is a significant concern for China, as the government believes ChatGPT and similar platforms can be exploited for propaganda purposes. Foreign web platforms, including ChatGPT, are blocked by China’s Great Firewall to enforce the country’s censorship laws.
Attempts to search for ChatGPT on Chinese platforms yield no results. While some third-party developers previously created programs that provided limited access to this popular AI bot, these workarounds have been shut down or disabled, with explanations citing violations of relevant laws and regulations.
