A recent video circulating on various social media platforms depicts a false claim of President Joe Biden threatening to impose sanctions on South Africa if the African National Congress (ANC) wins the upcoming elections. The video, known as a deepfake, fabricates Biden's statement declaring immediate sanctions and labeling South Africa as an enemy state, with supposed support from the European Union to fight for South Africans' freedom.

Detection of Misinformation and Deepfakes

The viral video, widely shared on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, was created using artificial intelligence technology, specifically the celebrity voice generator Parrot AI. Investigations reveal that the footage is a product of AI manipulation, showcasing the potential dangers of deepfake content in spreading false information.

Implications of False Claims and Sanctions

If the ANC emerges victorious in the May 29, 2024 elections, the video suggests that sanctions would be imposed on South Africa. The ANC, a long-standing political party in power for over 30 years, faces a potential shift in dominance based on current surveys leading up to the upcoming general elections. Sanctions, a form of trade restriction or cessation, are used to express dissatisfaction with a country's actions against international norms.

Fact-Checking and Deepfake Technology

Artificial intelligence tools like deepfake technology can replicate a person's likeness and create misleading content by altering their speech and actions. In the case of the Biden video, telltale signs of AI manipulation include robotic lip movements and overall video coarseness. By analyzing facial features and voice patterns from existing footage, AI can generate convincing yet false videos, as seen in this instance.

Verifying Authenticity and Media Response

A simple Google image search can reveal multiple instances of the AI-generated screenshot from the video being reused in various contexts, sometimes depicting the president speaking different languages. Despite the lack of credible media reports confirming the sanctions threat against South Africa based on election outcomes, the spread of misinformation highlights the need for vigilance in verifying sources and scrutinizing content shared on social media platforms.