Video of Chrystia Freeland asking Canadians to invest in an 'opportunity' is a deepfake (2024)

A deepfake of Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland has been used in an advertisem*nt pushing for Canadians to register for a new investment platform.

The four-minute video appeared on YouTube on May 29, per the Canadian Press. The video is in the format of a newscast by CBC News in one version shared online, and by CTV News in another. Deepfakes of the reporters, who introduce Freeland and discuss the money-making scheme, are also featured in the videos.

A deepfake refers to synthetic content that has been digitally manipulated and is intended to deceive, according to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

In the video, a fake Freeland speaks at two press conferences about an “opportunity” for Canadians to make money on a platform that uses “artificial intelligence technologies to automate trading on global financial markets.” There are odd pauses and the voice does not appear to match with her movements at times.

Anthony Sutherland, who offers financial advisory services, shared the fake ad and wrote about the dangers of deepfakes to his clients in a Facebook post.

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“These deepfakes are highly convincing, using AI to mimic the voice and appearance of well-known figures,” he said. “While the video may initially appear legitimate, it contains misleading information designed to defraud unsuspecting individuals.”

Sutherland told online users to protect themselves by verifying the source of a video. He said that users should be skeptical of unsolicited offers and look out for red flags, like “unrealistic promises and pressure to act quickly.”

Sutherland also urged users to report such videos.

The videos of Freeland “are fake and present false and misleading information,” Deputy Director of Communications for the finance minister’s office Katherine Cuplinskas told the National Post.

“The increasing presence of fake and misleading information online is concerning. Law enforcement agencies, such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) handle these cases and take them very seriously,” she said in a statement over email.

“We ask Canadians to please remain vigilant when consuming information online and to use their judgment when videos and websites appear doctored and out-of-character.”

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The first clip of Freeland was likely taken from an actual press conference that took place on April 9, 2024, when she was in Ottawa to announce a youth mental health fund at the National Press Theatre. In the fake video, Freeland is wearing the same white blazer that she wore on April 9.

Addressing Canadians, Freeland’s deepfake promotes a platform created by “the genius of our time, the owner of twitter, SpaceX and Tesla,” referring to Elon Musk.

Musk is never mentioned by name and neither is the platform being promoted.

It offers “every smartphone user with internet access the unique opportunity to effortlessly achieve significant economic benefits,” says the deepfake of the finance minister, adding that more than 100,000 Canadians have already been able to quit their jobs because of their success.

Finally, Freeland’s deepfake urges Canadians to register.

“I personally guarantee the safety of your funds and the confidentiality of your information,” says the deepfake.

In the second clip of Freeland’s deepfake shown in the YouTube ad, the finance minister is seen wearing a black dress with Canadian flags behind her. This video was seemingly taken from a press conference held on April 16, 2024, when the federal government unveiled its budget.

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The reporter at the end of the fake CBC newscast tells viewers to click the link under the video to register for the project.

Multiple YouTube channels posted the video, with one reaching more than 39,000 views, before it was taken down, the Canadian Press reported.

Deepfakes continue to be a global problem. In a 2023 safety report released by Google in March 2024, the company, which owns YouTube, “blocked or removed 206.5 million advertisem*nts for violating our misrepresentation policy, which includes many scam tactics and 273.4 million advertisem*nts” in violation of its financial services policy.

Google has since addressed the AI-generated clips of Freeland in a statement to Breaker News, a Vancouver-based news site.

“Protecting our users is our top priority and we have strict policies that govern the ads and content on our platform,” Google told Breaker News in a statement.

“These scams are prohibited and we are terminating the ads accounts and channels behind them. We are investing heavily in our detection and enforcement against scam ads that impersonate public figures and the bad actors behind them.”

This is not the first time a Canadian politician has been targeted. A deepfake of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with an Australian accent appeared online, promoting a cryptocurrency scam.

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