Crypto Giant Meta Faces Backlash Over Viral Ronaldo Deepfake Controversy

Meta's Oversight Board Orders Removal of AI-Manipulated Video Featuring Ronaldo Nazário

The Meta Oversight Board has directed the removal of a Facebook post showcasing an AI-manipulated video depicting Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário promoting an online game. The board determined that the post violated Meta's Community Standards on fraud and spam, and criticized the company for allowing the misleading video to remain online.

"Taking the post down is consistent with Meta's Community Standards on fraud and spam. Meta should also have rejected the content for advertisement, as its rules prohibit using the image of a famous person to bait people into engaging with an ad," the Oversight Board stated in a Thursday release.

The video featured a poorly synchronized voiceover of Ronaldo Nazário urging users to play a game called Plinko through its app, falsely promising higher earnings than common jobs in Brazil. The post garnered over 600,000 views before being flagged, but addressing the content was not prioritized, and it was not removed until the user appealed the decision to the Oversight Board.

This incident highlights the growing concern over AI-generated images that falsely depict people, often used for scams, fraud, and misinformation. The Oversight Board's decision comes amid broader legislative momentum to curb the abuse of deepfakes, such as the bipartisan Take It Down Act signed by President Donald Trump in May, which mandates the removal of non-consensual, intimate, AI-generated images within 48 hours.

The case underscores the need for more consistent enforcement of Meta's anti-fraud policies across its platforms, as the Oversight Board found that only specialized teams at the company could remove this type of content, suggesting widespread underenforcement.

Key Takeaways

• Meta's Oversight Board ordered the removal of a Facebook post featuring an AI-manipulated video of Ronaldo Nazário promoting an online game.
• The video violated Meta's Community Standards on fraud and spam, and the Oversight Board criticized the company for allowing the misleading content to remain online.
• The case highlights the growing concern over AI-generated images that falsely depict people, often used for scams, fraud, and misinformation.
• The Oversight Board's decision comes amid broader legislative momentum to curb the abuse of deepfakes, such as the bipartisan Take It Down Act.
• The incident underscores the need for more consistent enforcement of Meta's anti-fraud policies across its platforms.