Voyager Broadband deepfake video — Sep 2026

Voyager Broadband recently pulled an AI-generated advertisement from YouTube after critics highlighted that the content perpetuated damaging racial stereotypes. The video, which was intended to be humorous, depicted two brown men attacking a white man after their internet connection failed during a UFC match.

What happened

The advertisement utilized AI-generated video to portray three friends reacting to a lagging internet stream. In the footage, the two brown men make animalistic noises before attacking their Pākehā counterpart, who is subsequently hospitalized. Critics, including Leon Bristow of BEINGS.co, argued that the portrayal lacked cultural due diligence and relied on harmful tropes that have historically marginalized Māori and Pasifika communities.

While Voyager Broadband initially stated the concept was meant to show an exaggerated reaction to poor internet service and denied any racial intent, the company acknowledged that the content could be interpreted differently once viewed through a new lens. Following inquiries regarding the specific prompts used to generate the video, the company removed the advertisement and issued an apology, stating that the portrayal did not reflect their values. Voyager is now reviewing its internal approval processes for external marketing content, specifically focusing on AI-generated material to ensure such incidents are prevented in the future.