Labour Party councillor in Scotland deepfake video
The Oversight Board ordered Meta to remove an AI-generated deepfake of a Scottish councillor that used hate speech to misrepresent her views on refugees
- Reported date
- Oct 5, 2026
- Target
- Labour Party councillor in Scotland
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
In November 2025, a Facebook user published an AI-generated deepfake video depicting a Scottish Labour Party councillor appearing to make offensive statements regarding refugees. The video, which reached over 5,000 views, falsely portrayed the politician stating that refugees are welcome even if they commit sexual violence. While the video appeared realistic, closer inspection revealed that the audio was not fully synchronized with the councillor's facial movements.
What happened
The deepfake was part of an album containing a photograph of several women at an anti-far-right protest, including the councillor. Despite being reported by two individuals—including the politician herself—for violating bullying and harassment policies, Meta’s automated systems failed to prioritize the post for human review. Meta initially concluded that the video did not violate its Community Standards and did not merit an AI label.
Following an appeal to the Oversight Board, the decision was overturned. The Board ruled that the content violated Meta’s Hateful Conduct policy because it attributed predatory sexual behavior to refugees as an entire group. The Board criticized Meta’s inadequate handling of the incident, noting that the company’s current rules on AI labeling and deepfake enforcement are insufficient. The Board recommended that Meta implement more robust measures, such as increasing friction for users viewing AI-generated content, demonetizing "High Risk" labeled material, and applying escalating penalties for accounts that repeatedly share deceptive AI media.