According to a BBC investigation, a transnational online fraud gang has recently posted AI-generated fake images of Holocaust victims on Facebook, which has attracted widespread attention. Organizations dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust stated that these images have caused great pain to survivors and their families. In response, Meta (the parent company of Facebook) has faced criticism for allowing its platform to turn historical tragedies into a "emotional game."
In fact, there were only a few real photos taken inside the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. However, in recent months, AI scammers online have released many fake images claiming to be scenes from the camp, such as a prisoner playing the violin or lovers reuniting by the fence, which have received tens of thousands of likes and shares. Paweł Sawicki, a spokesperson for the Auschwitz Memorial, said: "Someone is fabricating stories here... this is a strange emotional game on social media." He emphasized that it's not a game, but a real history and suffering that needs to be remembered.
The BBC investigation found that the sources of these images mostly come from a network of content creators based in Pakistan, who attempt to profit by collaborating with Meta's content monetization program. An account named Abdul Mughis claimed to have earned $20,000 through social media, and the views of his content exceeded 1.2 billion within four months.
These AI-generated image content is of poor quality and are often referred to as "AI garbage," and they spread widely on social media. The Auschwitz Museum issued a warning in June, pointing out that these accounts stole its published content, processed it through AI models, and often distorted historical details or completely fabricated stories about victims.
Besides, with the increase of fake images, the mission of the Auschwitz Memorial is also under threat. Many people commented on its Facebook posts saying "This is an AI-generated photo." Some survivors and family members feel confused and sad about this phenomenon. Dr. Robert Williams of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance expressed regret about the occurrence of this situation.
Meta stated that although they do not intentionally encourage users to post false stories, their system rewards high-interaction content. The BBC also found AI garbage accounts from India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Nigeria.
Although some content creators did not directly participate in the creation of Holocaust images, they operate in the same social media groups, believing that historical content is a reliable driver for traffic. With the proliferation of these false historical images, there are concerns about the authenticity of the Holocaust history. Dr. Williams urged people to avoid extreme ways of manipulating history.
Key Points:
📌 International fraud gangs use AI to generate fake Holocaust images, causing controversy on Facebook.
📌 Related organizations stated that this behavior causes pain to survivors and their families, and undermines respect for history.
📌 Although Meta does not encourage the publication of false content, its platform algorithm leads to low-quality content receiving high interaction, thus promoting this phenomenon.
