Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Facebook ads, purportedly featuring Nita Ambani, Anant Ambani, Yogi Adityanath, and Gautam Adani, promoting a mobile game app, promising easy money.
Fact
No such endorsements, viral ads were found to be deepfakes.
A slew of ads, purportedly featuring Reliance Foundation founder Nita Ambani, son Anant Ambani, who recently got married in a lavish, star-studded ceremony in Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and billionaire business magnate Gautam Adani, promoting an online gaming app, Aviator, which promises easy money, have gone viral on Facebook. The ads can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check
Newschecker noticed that the lip movements of Nita Ambani, Anant Ambani, Yogi Adityanath, and Gautam Adani, felt unnatural and were not completely in sync with their speech, raising our doubts on whether the videos were digitally altered. We also ran a keyword search for “Aviator Nita Ambani Anant Ambani Yogi Adityanath Gautam Adani”, which did not throw up any credible news reports about any of them endorsing such an app.
Video 1
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to this Youtube video, uploaded by CNBC-TV18 and dated June 24, 2024, stating, “Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson Nita Ambani reaches Varanasi; says, ‘Today I am here with the wedding invitation of Anant & Radhika to offer it to the almighty.’ She will offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple.” A longer version can be seen here, where we can clearly see that the viral video was digitally manipulated to appear like she was promoting the app.
We ran the video past TrueMedia, an AI content-detection tool, which detected “substantial evidence of manipulation”.
Video 2
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes, which led us to this India TV interview with the UP CM for its show “Aap Ki Adalat”, streamed live amid the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on May 11, 2024. Adityanath did not endorse an online game at any point in the interview, which shows that the viral ad was digitally altered.
We ran the video past TrueMedia, which detected “substantial evidence of manipulation”.
Video 3
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes, which led us to this ANI tweet, dated February 26, 2024, stating, “Reliance Foundation announces Vantara – a comprehensive Animal Rescue, Care, Conservation and Rehabilitation programme, the first of its kind in India.”
We can see that Anant Ambani’s remarks on Vantara have been digitally manipulated to appear like he was promoting the Aviator app. We ran the video past TrueMedia, which detected “substantial evidence of manipulation”.
Video 4
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes, which led us to this ANI tweet, dated March 13, 2024, where Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani talks about the mantras that have helped him in succeeding. Again, Adani does not endorse an online game at any point in his speech.
We ran the video past TrueMedia, which, too, detected “substantial evidence of manipulation”.
Newschecker had also reached out to the Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU) of The Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), of which Newschecker is a part of. According to the DAU, a closer look at the viral videos, particularly Nita Ambani’s, shows primitive attempts at lip syncing, quivering lips and shaky dentition, all signs of AI manipulation.
Newschecker has already debunked a spate of similar fake celebrity ads on social media over the past year, promoting dubious quick get-rich schemes, which are created by cloning voices of famous personalities using AI tools and altering the mouth movements in real videos to match the new audio.
Also Read: Donald Trump Shot: Viral Image Does Not Show Hole In Republican Candidate’s Blazer Near His Chest
Conclusion
Deepfake ads impersonating Nita Ambani, Anant Ambani, Yogi Adityanath, and Gautam Adani, so as to promote an online action game that promises easy money have gone viral.
Result: Altered Media
Sources
Youtube video, CNBC-TV18, June 24, 2024
Youtube video, India TV, May 11, 2019
Tweet, ANI, February 26, 2024
Tweet, ANI, March 13, 2024
TrueMedia tests
Inputs from DAU
If you would like us to fact-check a claim, give feedback or lodge a complaint, WhatsApp us at 9999499044 or email us at checkthis@newschecker.in. You can also visit the Contact Us page and fill out the form. Follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates.
Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
