Deepfake political scam ads surge on Meta platforms, watchdog says

According to Meta's rules, advertisers who seek to run political ads in the United States have to undergo a special authorization process. Washington - Scammers are among the top political ad spenders on Meta's platforms, using deepfake videos of American politicians -- including President Donald Trump -- to promote fake government benefits, a watchdog group said Wednesday. The nonprofit Tech Transparency Project said it identified 63 scam advertisers that collectively spent $49 million on Facebook and Instagram, often targeting seniors with ads promoting fake stimulus checks, government spending cards and healthcare payments. The ads have reached tens of thousands of the platforms' users. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.