TULSA, Okla. – A photo of a deer harvested by News On 6’s Tess Maune during the 2021 hunting season has sparked a controversy after being manipulated by AI and circulated on social media. In October 2023, Maune discovered that her image was altered and posted to a Facebook page called Alabama Empire Buck Outdoors, which initially appears to be a legitimate outdoor brand.
The altered photo features Maune alongside two boys, with her face digitally modified. “That is a deer that I harvested two years ago, but those aren’t my kids, and there’s just something creepy about creating this fake family and this fake story,” Maune stated. When users click on the page’s “shop now” button, they are redirected to a business in Huntsville, Alabama. The owner of that business reported that his Facebook page was hacked roughly a month ago, resulting in his logo being stolen and the page name being changed. Despite repeated attempts to have the page removed, he has been unsuccessful so far.
Until the page is taken down, Maune’s altered image remains online. “You are kind of helpless,” she expressed. “I can’t get them to take this down. It’s there. They have taken my picture. They have created my fake family, and they have posted it, and I am helpless to get it taken down. If it were something more salacious, how vulnerable and how helpless you feel in that situation.”
The issue has gained traction, with Maune noting that the manipulated image has received significant attention. “If you go and read the comments, it has a lot of comments, a lot of engagement, and people think it’s real,” she remarked. While Maune indicated that the incident is relatively harmless compared to other forms of AI manipulation, it has shifted her perspective on sharing personal photos online. “It’s a reminder to me of why I don’t want to share my daughter’s picture on social media because there are pages like this and there are people out there who have bad intentions.”
Experts are warning that protecting images online has become increasingly difficult as AI technology advances. Dr. Yi Ting Chua, an assistant professor at the University of Tulsa, stated, “Unfortunately, there’s not really a good set of advice for users nowadays just because the technology is changing so fast. Any sort of detection mechanism that researchers are starting seems to be kind of playing a bit of catch-up.” She urged users to report suspicious content through social media platforms and to consider keeping their content private.
Chua also advised users to be mindful of their posting settings, as many platforms default to public visibility. “If you are just a normal user who doesn’t have a big online presence, just be aware of your settings that you are posting,” she said. “There’s no perfect advice right now. The best thing users can do is pay attention and verify sources.”
Despite having reported the photo to Facebook, Maune’s altered image persists online. She concluded, “It starts with a harmless hunting picture. And then what’s next?” The incident underscores a growing concern over the manipulation of personal images and the potential for misuse in a landscape increasingly dominated by AI technologies.
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