Latest news with #Whack-a-Mole
Daily Maverick
01-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Deepfake of renowned SA physician used to promote bogus heart medicine
''The [deepfake video] has me saying anti-vax things… This company has just pounced on me, and they're not letting me go,' said Abdool Karim. A deepfake video, generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, is using the likeness of the renowned South African physician Prof Salim Abdool Karim to push disinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and promote a bogus heart medicine on social media. Abdool Karim, the director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa), has refuted the contents of the video and reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines are safe. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The [deepfake video] has me saying anti-vax things… This company has just pounced on me, and they're not letting me go. They are using me, and I think they're using me because it's good for their sales,' Abdool Karim told Daily Maverick. Caprisa said, 'Neither Abdool Karim nor Caprisa have endorsed any medicines for any company.' Snake-oil remedy It's the second time the scam company has used an AI deepfake video of Abdool Karim to market its product, with the previous video emerging around September last year. Before that, it used a still image of him on posters for the fake cure, shared on social media. The most recent deepfake video gives the appearance of an SABC news report in which Abdool Karim responds to a presenter. The AI-generated Abdool Karim gives a false account of blood clots linked to Covid-19 vaccines, before encouraging viewers to 'cleanse' their blood vessels using 'a unique formula, breakthrough remedy, that dissolves all types of clots after just one treatment cycle'. Despite the continued misuse of his identity, Abdool Karim said that little legal recourse could be pursued against those responsible. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'When [the adverts] first came out, I was furious and I said, 'I'm going to spare no cost in going after these guys'… We hired people to go and investigate it. We spent quite a bit of money, and when … we were getting close to figuring things out, we realised actually, this is best described by a fairground game called Whack-a-Mole,' he said. 'When you try to stop one, another emerges. So, there's no end to this.' The investigating team linked the scam to a Tanzanian company with a warehouse in Midrand, Johannesburg, but just as it narrowed down its search, the operation closed down and disappeared. A few weeks later, another advert using Abdool Karim's image emerged, seemingly shared by the same group. 'We tried to take out an injunction against them, but it proved to be a real challenge because we don't know who we're taking out an injunction against,' said Abdool Karim. 'I realised you actually have no legal recourse against these people, because it's not an established firm. It's not trading on any reputation. It's trading on my reputation because they have no reputation of their own. They're just a fly-by-night… There's nothing that creates an opportunity for us because they're not legal.' The scam company uses paid adverts on Facebook to circulate its marketing material, according to Abdool Karim. From there, users of the platform share the posters or videos on other social media platforms, including WhatsApp. After each advert, Abdool Karim gets up to 20 emails from members of the public seeking to buy the fake medicine, or reporting side effects as a result of its use. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'No stone unturned' In a statement released on Thursday, 26 June, the National Department of Health said it was aware of the AI-generated video of Abdool Karim that undermined the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. 'According to our information, these actions are meant to hoodwink members of the public into buying fake heart medicine. This is done through mail order, and the fake product is obviously not working or is making people feel even sicker,' said the health department. 'Minister [of Health Dr Aaron] Motsoaledi condemns in the strongest terms possible the fake news campaign by these charlatans with business interests, who for their nefarious reasons are determined to create confusion among the people for the sake of immoral profiteering.' Motsoaledi encouraged the public to rely on vaccines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) and the National Department of Health. The department said it would leave 'no stone unturned' in combating the efforts of the scam company. Caprisa urged members of the public to: Refer to credible sources such as Caprisa, Sahpra, the Department of Health or a trusted, registered healthcare professional for accurate health information; Verify the authenticity of health claims, products and possible actions that are being recommended; Report any instances of fake news found online directly to the hosting social media platform, such as X, Facebook or TikTok; and Refrain from sharing fake news images, videos or messaging on mobile chat groups. Social media and health disinformation Abdool Karim noted that while there was a long history of disinformation in health, recent years had seen these narratives becoming more organised. Those sharing disinformation no longer had to depend on mainstream media, where fact-checking acted as a barrier to many false claims. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'Covid was a turning point, and what [happened during] Covid was that disinformation … became organised and it became amplified through social media,' he said. The 'moguls of social media' had effectively resisted controls and regulations on their platforms, said Abdool Karim, citing the example of a recent development in Canada where the government rescinded a tax on big US technology firms due to US President Donald Trump threatening to call off negotiations over a trade deal. 'That just tells you how much [Trump] is in the pocket of these social media moguls, and they will not tolerate any regulation. They will fight regulation in any country … because they see it as … affecting their bottom line,' he said. 'All of these companies have now either reduced or completely eliminated their curation and fact checking… I actually don't hold out much hope that we can reasonably regulate and control these big companies. Every indication is the opposite. They control everyone else.' Reflecting on the changes that could reduce the spread of disinformation on virtual platforms, Abdool Karim said there should be a warning label on social media pages that had not been fact-checked, showing that the content may not be true. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The second thing is that I think we need to educate the next group of youngsters that they should have a high level of healthy scepticism when they go on to social media platforms because I worry that they think it's all real, and that they get sucked into these fake worlds,' he said. 'We have to educate the next generation to understand that everything they see [on social media] should be taken first and foremost … as a lie.' DM
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers activate Teoscar Hernández, restoring lineup to full strength amid pitching concerns
The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting a key part of their lineup back. Teoscar Hernández has been activated from the injured list, the team announced Monday. Hernández, 32, sustained a left groin strain while chasing down a line drive in the outfield during the Dodgers' game versus the Miami Marlins on May 6. At the time of his injury, he was batting .315 with a .933 OPS, 10 doubles and 9 home runs and leading MLB with 34 RBI in 33 games (136 plate appearances). With Hernández's return, outfielder James Outman was sent back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was recalled from the minors to fill Hernández's spot on the roster. Outman, 28, was batting .125/.222/.375 with two homers and four RBI. The Dodgers might not be finished making moves with their outfielders now that Hernández and Tommy Edman have been activated. The team released veteran utilityman Chris Taylor on Sunday, deciding to keep Hyeseong Kim (.452/.485/.581 in 33 PAs) instead. Andy Pages has also been playing very well, batting .280 with a .987 OPS, 9 homers, 27 RBI and 5 stolen bases. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will likely opt to use Edman and Kim, in addition to Enrique Hernández, at multiple positions based on pitching matchups and the need for days off to keep players fresh. However, Michael Conforto could be pushed out of the outfield mix, carrying a .171/.305/.279 batting line with nine doubles and two home runs. With just 44 games played, the Dodgers will probably give Conforto more time to turn his season around. But he signed only a one-year deal and thus might be viewed as expendable in a roster crunch. Still, moving Taylor and veteran catcher Austin Barnes off the roster shows that the Dodgers feel the urgency to make some tough decisions as they face a close race in the National League West. Three straight games with a home run for Teoscar Hernández! — MLB (@MLB) April 29, 2025 Going into Monday's MLB slate, the Dodgers lead the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants by one game in the National League West at 29-18. The Arizona Diamondbacks aren't far behind either, just four games back. Of greater concern is the team's pitching, which ranks 11th in the NL (and 21st in MLB) with a 4.18 ERA. Starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all on the injured list, in addition to relievers Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips and Kirby Yates. Clayton Kershaw made his first start of the season Saturday but looked like a work in progress after returning from multiple surgeries. As Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Sunday, building pitching depth is an endless chase. 'It's like a game of Whack-a-Mole, and things keep popping up," Friedman said, via the Los Angeles Times. "The definition of enough depth, I think, is a fool's errand. I don't know what enough depth means. I think more is always better with pitching depth.' Figuring out the team's outfield mix is a luxury by comparison. That's a problem the Dodgers will surely accept right now while there are far more pressing issues to address.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers activate Teoscar Hernández, restoring lineup to full strength amid pitching concerns
The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting a key part of their lineup back. Teoscar Hernández has been activated from the injured list, the team announced on Monday. Hernández, 32, sustained a left groin strain while chasing down a line drive in the outfield during the Dodgers' game versus the Miami Marlins on May 6. At the time of his injury, he was batting .315 with a .933 OPS, 10 doubles and nine home runs, while leading MLB with 34 RBI in 33 games (136 plate appearances). Advertisement With Hernández's return, outfielder James Outman was sent back down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was recalled from the minors to fill Hernández's spot on the roster. Outman, 28, was batting .125/.222/.375 with two homers and four RBI. The Dodgers may not be done making moves with their outfielders now that Hernández and Tommy Edman have been activated. The team released veteran utilityman Chris Taylor on Sunday, deciding to keep Hyeseong Kim (.452/.485/.581 in 33 PAs) instead. Andy Pages has also been playing very well, batting .280 with a .987 OPS, nine homers, 27 RBI and five stolen bases. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will likely opt to use Edman and Kim, in addition to Enrique Hernández, at multiple positions based on pitching matchups and the need for days off to keep players fresh. However, Michael Conforto could ultimately be pushed out of the outfield mix, carrying a .171//.305/.279 batting line with nine doubles and two home runs. Advertisement With just 44 games played, the Dodgers will probably give Conforto more time to turn his season around. But he only signed a one-year deal and thus may be viewed as expendable in a roster crunch. But moving Taylor and veteran catcher Austin Barnes off the roster shows that the Dodgers feel the urgency to make tough decisions as they face a tough race in the National League West. Going into Monday's MLB slate, the Dodgers lead both the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants by one game in the National League West. The Arizona Diamondbacks aren't far behind either, just four games back. Advertisement Of greater concern is the team's pitching, which ranks 11th in the NL (and 21st in MLB) with a 4.18 ERA. Starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all on the injured list, in addition to relievers Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips and Kirby Yates. Clayton Kershaw made his first start of the season on Saturday, but looked like a work in progress after returning from multiple surgeries. As Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Sunday, building pitching depth is an endless chase. 'It's like a game of Whack-a-Mole, and things keep popping up," Friedman said, via the Los Angeles Times. "The definition of enough depth, I think is a fool's errand. I don't know what enough depth means. I think more is always better with pitching depth.' Figuring out the team's outfield mix is a luxury by comparison. That's a problem the Dodgers will surely accept right now while there are far more pressing issues to address.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Poker Face' Brings TV's Best Mystery Back for Season 2
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." OUR FAVORITE HUMAN lie detector is back. More than two years after Poker Face's 10-episode first season wrapped up, Rian Johnson's brilliant whydunnit mystery series is back for an even-larger but still star-studded 12-episode second season. Of course, our drifter extraordinare Charlie Cale (the always vibrant Natasha Lyonne) is once again the connective tissue between episodes, finding her way into one situation or another—and always using her impressive ability to parse out the truth to figure out why one sinister plot or another went the way it did. And while season 2 is once again filled with brilliant guest stars—including Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, and more—it's always going to be the time spent hanging out with Lyonne's Charlie, and seeing how she's going to solve each increasingly-funny or strange mystery, that keeps viewers coming back. "To me, the key to this kind of show is casting Natasha Lyonne," Johnson told Men's Health in an interview back in 2023. "Making the show with her. I think, ultimately, that's where the show places its chips, is the character of Charlie Cale, and having her be someone you're going to want to come back to every single week and see her win. With Poker Face now in its supersized second season, we don't want to miss a single episode—and know you won't want to either. Below, you can see the complete release schedule for Poker Face season 2 on Peacock. Shop Now New episodes of Poker Face season 2 release on Peacock on Thursdays. The next episode will be available on Thursday, May 15. Poker Face season 2 will be 12 episodes in total, bumped up from the 10 that were in season 1. After the three-episode premiere, the show is shifting to a weekly release schedule; That means that there's still nine weeks—and nine mystery-filled episodes—remaining in season 2 of Poker Face. Episode 1, "The Game is a Foot - Now streaming as of May 8Episode 2, "Last Looks"- Now streaming as of May 8Episode 3, "Whack-a-Mole"- Now streaming as of May 8 Episode 4, "The Taste of Human Blood"- Streaming on May 15Episode 5, "Hometown Hero"- Streaming on May 22Episode 6, "Sloppy Joseph"- Streaming on May 29Episode 7, "One Last Job"- Streaming on June 5Episode 8, "The Sleazy Georgian" - Streaming on June 12Episode 9, "A New Lease on Death" - Streaming on June 19Episode 10, "The Big Pump" - Streaming on June 26Episode 11, "Day of the Iguana" - Streaming on July 3Episode 12, "The End of the Road" - Streaming on July 10 You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I know speech is protected at Davidson College. I see it all the time.
Conservative writer Andrew Dunn recently questioned whether Davidson College protects 'controversial' speech, particularly pro-Israel views. I've spent the past few years at Davidson looking into, reporting on and teaching about the importance of free expression. Every issue of importance is being discussed on campus. But every false claim of censorship, as YAF alleged here, further roots in the public consciousness a distorted perception of colleges, who are stuck having to play Whack-a-Mole to correct the record. A conservative student group, a chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), handed out an anti-Muslim pamphlet made available to them by national YAF to counter what they believed was an anti-Israel campus atmosphere. The group also retweeted what some considered transphobic. They then faced the usual student disciplinarian process and could choose between a hearing, where they could be found guilty or not guilty for harassment, or accept an accountability plan. They chose neither, convinced they were targeted for their beliefs. But they weren't. The college was responding to complaints from other students, some of whom said they felt unsafe because of the pamphlet's contents, which was handed out near the student union's entrance. Davidson is required to take seriously every student concern for legal, practical and ethical reasons. That's what triggered the potential hearing – not the group's stance on the Gaza war. I know this because I know pro-Palestinian students and others have faced the same process disciplinarian, which is necessarily opaque because of privacy laws. I know pro-Israel views are welcome because professors, students and staff shared them before the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on that country, and since. I know because those voices can be so loud and persistent that they can pressure the college to cancel a Jewish speaker critical of Israel, as happened just weeks ago. (The college didn't cave.) I know because I have colleagues holding pro-Palestinian views who've rethought public presentations for fear of being falsely labeled antisemitic. I know because colleagues expert on the long-complex history of the Israel-Palestine conflict led well-attended teach-ins on the subject. They explained every side of the issue from an educational rather than ideological perspective. I know because students have shared those views in my classes during deliberative discussions and debates infused with passion. Here's what's also true: Students, faculty and staff often disagree about this subject, and many others. Many often feel reluctant to speak openly about this Israel-Gaza, and many other subjects. They fear the judgment of peers – a human instinct not unique to college campuses. Many of us even disagree about the nature of the student disciplinary process. Should speech of any sort short of flagrant-obvious harassment – like the hurling of epithets or stalking – be subject to that process? Or maybe it would be better to allow students to resolve uncomfortable disputes among themselves. Many Davidson students, faculty and staff disagree about when free expression advances or hampers the college's mission. When a student spreads misinformation on an important topic, should the college remain neutral to honor that student's right to speak freely? Or point out the falsehoods and correct them? If so, how can that be done in a way that doesn't feel punitive? What if a professor's expression of personal beliefs makes it less likely students will engage in class, even if inadvertently. Should the college step in? Colleges aren't gloried debate clubs who don't care about facts or the context in which they need to be grounded, the kinds of exchanges regularly on display in prime time on cable news. Free expression is a right. But it comes with responsibilities, particularly for institutions of higher education whose objective is greater than simply gathering together people to exchange words no matter if truth is cultivated or undermined. It's hard to determine where to draw the line between protected speech on a college campus, and that which should be shunned. But trying to get it right becomes more difficult each time an underinformed argument misleads the public about what we do and who we are. Issac Bailey is a McClatchy opinion writer in North Carolina and South Carolina.
