William Shatner Condemns AI-Generated Fake News Alleging Cancer and Death William Shatner, the iconic "Star Trek" actor, launched a public rebuke against a Facebook group that circulated AI-generated fake news stories claiming he was dying of stage 4 brain cancer, involved in a fight with Erika Kirk, and facing imminent death. The actor, 95, took to Facebook on April Fools’ Day to address the misinformation, which he described as a deliberate effort to exploit AI technology for financial gain. Shatner accused the group, known as “The Beanstalk Functions Group,” of using artificial intelligence to create “horrible fake news stories” that were then monetized. He highlighted that the group’s posts featured AI-generated images of him and fabricated narratives, including claims that he had “publicly revealed the health struggles he has quietly endured.” The actor emphasized that none of the stories were true, though they appeared credible enough to prompt fans to share them and send messages of support to his family. Shatner stated he had reached out to the group’s “CEO” via X (formerly Twitter) to request the removal of the false content, but Facebook allegedly refused to delete the posts. He criticized the platform for failing to act against the misinformation, calling it a “downside of AI and yellow journalism.” The actor warned followers to “take it with a grain of salt” if they encountered bizarre stories about him, urging them to verify information only through his verified accounts. The controversy emerged weeks after Shatner revealed he had undergone surgery following a severe shoulder injury sustained in a horse riding accident late last year.#facebook #x #saturn_awards #william_shatner #the_beanstalk_functions_group
Facebook Removes Page After William Shatner Condemns AI-Generated 'Fake News' Posts About Him William Shatner, the iconic Star Trek actor, has publicly criticized Facebook for failing to remove a page that spread AI-generated fake news stories about him. The page, operated by The Beanstalk Functions Group, was accused of creating misleading content that included fabricated claims about the actor’s health, personal relationships, and alleged demise. Shatner revealed that he had contacted Facebook’s support team to address the issue but was met with resistance, as the platform allegedly refused to take action. The controversy unfolded after Shatner posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, warning his followers about the deceptive content circulating on Meta’s platforms. He described the page as using artificial intelligence to generate “horrible fake news” stories, which he claimed were monetized. Among the alleged falsehoods were reports that Shatner had stage 4 brain cancer, had been involved in a fight with Erika Kirk (a former co-star from his TV series Boston Legal), and was dying. Shatner emphasized that none of these stories were true, yet they appeared credible enough to gain traction among fans. Shatner detailed his attempts to resolve the issue, stating that he had reached out to Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and also contacted the CEO of Next.js, a web development platform, after noting that the fake posts linked to a website hosted by the company. He argued that the page’s content was violating Meta’s policies, but the platform’s support team reportedly did not act. A Meta representative later confirmed that the page had been removed for policy violations, and as of Thursday afternoon, the Beanstalk Functions Group page was no longer accessible on Facebook.#facebook #meta #william_shatner #the_beanstalk_functions_group #next_js
