The rise in generative AI technology has made scamming people online much easier, with fake versions of Tom Hanks, Mr. Beast, and other celebrities often appearing in online ads. YouTube still has a problem with fraudulent advertisements, as I've learned from my own YouTube feed over the past few months.
  • silverbax@lemmy.worldEnglish
    49·
    1 year ago

    I’ve seen the Joe Rogan and Dr. Phil ads mentioned in the article, as well as George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and others. I’ve reported the ads multiple times.YouTube needs to squash this NOW instead of just pretending they aren’t aware of it.

  • MysticKetchup@lemmy.worldEnglish
    411·
    1 year ago

    One would think that with their resources, Google/YouTube could actually vet the ads they run on their platform before they run them. At the very least, check the ads coming from unknown companies

    • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      23·
      1 year ago

      They could, but the goal is 100% automation to maximize profits. Much cheaper to just run an algorithm than using a human being.

    • gen/Eric@iusearchlinux.fyiEnglish
      152·
      1 year ago

      You’re assuming they care about the content of the ads. If they’re getting paid, they run the ad, that’s it.

    • lone_faerie@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      10·
      1 year ago

      They’re able to do that on all the videos everyone else uploads. They turn a blind eye to ads because all they care about is the money.

      • anlumo@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        They only scan the videos whether they can put ads on them, and content id so they can get music labels to upload their stuff to the platform. They don’t care about the rest.

  • EdibleFriend@lemmy.worldEnglish
    38·
    1 year ago

    You can be demonetized on youtube for saying fuck too many times or too early in a video. Yet the advertisers are allowed to show me ads that, literally, are saying you can use their product to make AI porn of your friends against their will.

  • billwashere@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    1 year ago

    I would think the celebrities these are supposed to be would sue the shit out of YouTube for allowing this whether they agree with the message or not. Seems like a pretty strong case. The interesting part is how would you ever authenticate these sort of messages. I would think after losing a few of these cases YouTube would stop allowing ANY celebrity type messaging.

  • TORFdot0@lemmy.worldEnglish
    23·
    1 year ago

    I ended up uninstalling the official iOS app and went to the browser with vinegar. I kept reporting these scam ads and YouTube doesn’t bother removing them. Google doesn’t care if their users are scammed because the users aren’t their customers

    • nnjethro@lemmy.worldEnglish
      51·
      1 year ago

      Unless the user actually is their customer, then they don’t show them ads. ;)

      • TORFdot0@lemmy.worldEnglish
        51·
        1 year ago

        Shoot, I didn’t even consider Google purposefully allowing scam and malicious advertisements as a means to sell YT premium

  • SirStumps@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    1 year ago

    My solution to prevent these scams from showing is an add blocker called “uBlock Origins”. On my phone I use “Revanced” and “Grayjay”. Poof no more scams. Like and subscribe for more tips and tricks.

  • BigVault@kbin.social
    12·
    1 year ago

    I feel sorry for the people that are exposed to this shit by Google, especially those that are less tech savvy that aren’t blocking ads.
    Educate as many people/loved ones as you can folks about this to protect them and to fuck Google.

  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    111·
    1 year ago

    You can hear it in the voices. The weird part is, I could completely see Rogan and Phil agreeing to do these kind of ads if it didn’t have repercussions. I wonder if that’s the plan. They let them do the deep fakes to trick the people they want to trick and then for the rest, it’s a deep fake and they had nothing to do with it.

    • billwashere@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Agreeing with the content sure. But letting them use their voices and images without getting paid? Hell no. If they were paid then it’s no different than if they made them.

      • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        How would we know either way, so what would be the risk? The videos aren’t being flagged or taken down, soooooo…

  • holo_nexus@kbin.social
    5·
    1 year ago

    Yea this is sketchy AF. Not to mention concerning due to its potential implications. Going to be interesting how not only YouTube but other platforms deal with this.