Andrew Bailey deepfake video — Oct 2026

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has publicly criticized social media platforms for their lack of accountability regarding fraudulent content hosted on their sites. His comments follow a personal experience where he was featured in AI-generated deepfake videos used in online scams.

What happened

Andrew Bailey was the subject of AI-generated deepfake videos circulated on the social media platform X. These videos depicted the Governor of the Bank of England in a physical altercation with Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK. The manipulated footage was utilized as part of fraudulent advertisements. Mr. Bailey noted that the Bank of England found it extremely difficult to track down and remove this barrage of deceptive content from the platform.

Speaking at a panel in Bangkok, Mr. Bailey highlighted the disparity between traditional media, which is legally responsible for its published content, and modern social media platforms that host a wide range of material without similar liability. He argued that the current environment makes it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish between legitimate information and criminal scams. The Governor emphasized that addressing this issue requires a collaborative effort involving banks, technology companies, and social media platforms, rather than relying solely on a culture of financial compensation for victims.