Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has taken to social media platform X to expose a fake video circulating online, falsely portraying him as endorsing a gaming app named 'Skyward Aviator Quest.' The fraudulent 30-second ad, presented in Hindi, encourages viewers to download the app from the Apple Play Store, claiming that Tendulkar's daughter, Sara, plays the game.
The India TV fact-checking team has confirmed the video's falsity, emphasising that Sachin Tendulkar has not endorsed the 'Skyward Aviator Quest' gaming app, as suggested in the misleading ad. Tendulkar himself posted on X, denouncing the fake video and urging users to report such instances of misinformation and deepfakes. The visuals of Tendulkar used in the ad were traced back to an April 2023 interview with Kamiya Jani from the Curly Tales YouTube channel.
The deepfake video employs generative AI to create a voice clone that remarkably mimics Tendulkar's voice. Content manipulation raises concerns about the misuse of technology to deceive and exploit unsuspecting individuals. Tendulkar's call for reporting such fraudulent videos highlights the importance of swift action from social media platforms in addressing misinformation and deepfake-related issues.
Despite the revelation of the fake video, the 'Skyward Aviator Quest' game remains available for download on the Apple App Store in India, underscoring the challenges associated with the timely removal of fraudulent content from online platforms. The incident adds to a growing list of deepfake-related scams targeting prominent figures, including Shah Rukh Khan, Virat Kohli, Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy, Ravish Kumar, Akshay Kumar, and Sadhguru, among others.
The case emphasises the need for heightened vigilance and responsiveness from social media platforms to tackle the rising threat of deepfakes and misinformation, protect users from scams, and preserve the integrity of public figures.
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