Supporters of former President Trump have been targeting Black voters with fake pictures created by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report from the BBC.
The deepfake images show Trump embracing Black voters who do not actually exist. The news outlet spoke with Cliff Albright, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, who told them that the manipulated images were pushing a “strategic narrative” conceived to portray Trump as popular in the Black community.
“There have been documented attempts to target disinformation to black communities again, especially younger Black voters,” he said.
The publication also talked to one of the creators of the falsified images, who did not deny it. Conservative radio host Mark Kaye created a viral image showing Trump smiling with his arms around a group of Black women at a party.
Trump supporters target black voters with faked AI images https://t.co/9NOC59jSw9
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 4, 2024
“I’m not out there taking pictures of what’s really happening. I’m a storyteller,’ he told the BBC.
Nikky Haley dropped out of the presidential race on Wednesday, meaning that Trump will likely face Biden in the election. However, the GOP candidate has made several anti-Black remarks already this year.
Last month, he sparked outrage by making the following remarks at the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala.
“I got indicted a second time and a third time and a fourth time, and a lot of people said that that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” he said. “I’m being indicted for you, the American people. I’m being indicted for you, the Black population. I am being indicted for a lot of different groups by sick people, these are sick, sick people.”
These are fake AI generated images being posted by Trump supporters in an effort to garner support among Black voters. pic.twitter.com/45OL8rx82J
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 4, 2024
Trump has a lengthy, contentious past with the Black community, solely fueled by his loosely veiled prejudices. He has publicly and repeatedly berated Black reporters, athletes and other public figures without consequence, as it seems that even the moderate Republican Party members have become inured to his racist outbursts.
Trump has not made efforts to address the circulation of the AI images, but his team claims they have no involvement with the online propganda campaign.
“The only ones using AI to meddle in an election are President Trump’s opponents,” the campaign official said. “The Trump Campaign has absolutely nothing to do with these AI images. Nor can we control what other people create and post.”
