FACT CHECK: Online gambling ad uses AI-edited news report, Pacquiao interview
Former senator Manny Pacquiao and a GMA News report never talked about a 'Manny Casino' gambling app
Claim: Manny Pacquiao’s online gambling platform, “Manny Casino,” was featured in the GMA news show 24 Oras with the boxing champion and former senator himself endorsing the app.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook Reels video bearing the claim was posted by a page with 416 followers and has 1,300 likes, 309 comments, and 67 shares as of writing. All comments on the video are dated July 23.
The video shows GMA News’ Mariz Umali seemingly reporting about the gambling app on 24 Oras, saying: “Ang pinakasikat na Manny Pacquiao ay namuhunan sa isang bagong online casino. Sa loob lamang ng ilang buwan, nasira ng kanyang app ang lahat ng mga tala sa pag-download.”
(The famous Manny Pacquiao has invested in a new online casino. In just a few months, the app destroyed previous download records.)
This was followed by a clip of Pacquiao purportedly promoting the app.
The bottom line: Deepfake detector Resemble.ai analyzed the audio from the video and flagged it as fake and likely to be AI-manipulated.
“Our model analyzes the audio with a 90%+ accuracy to determine whether the contents were created by AI,” the company said.
A closer look at the video also shows unnatural mouth movements and glitches in the images, suggesting that it was manipulated.
No 24 Oras episode in July 2024 includes any reports about the supposed Pacquiao-backed gambling app.
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Meanwhile, the clip of Pacquiao supposedly promoting the gambling app was digitally manipulated from an interview with American journalist Graham Bensinger in 2016. The original interview shows Pacquiao speaking in English and talking about why he ran away from home when he was younger. The clip used in the gambling ad was edited to show Pacquiao speaking in Filipino.
Pacquiao and gambling apps: As of writing, Pacquiao has only partnered with one gaming platform, M88 Mansion, in 2022. The boxing legend and former senator has never endorsed the “Manny Casino” app on his official accounts.
Debunked: AI tools are increasingly being used to falsely imply the endorsement of public figures and generate fake content, which may be used in potential scam operations. (READ: AI biggest challenge of fact-checking elections around the world – experts)
Rappler has published fact-checks about AI-manipulated advertisements:
- FACT CHECK: Eye ‘cure’ ad uses AI-manipulated news report
- FACT CHECK: Manny Villar investment scheme ad is AI-manipulated
- FACT CHECK: Jessica Soho ad for cyst and tumor ‘cure’ is AI-generated
– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com
Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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