AI-Generated Videos of Hurricane Melissa Flood Social Media
Numerous artificial intelligence-generated videos falsely depicting the impact of Hurricane Melissa are circulating widely online, particularly on TikTok, potentially misleading the public about the storm’s severity.
Dozens of these videos have amassed millions of views, with searches for “Hurricane Melissa” on TikTok returning a mix of AI-created content, old footage from previous storms, and deceptively edited clips. Some videos bear watermarks identifying them as created with AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora or Google’s VEO, while others have had these markings blurred or removed. One widely viewed clip, seen over half a million times, shows sharks swimming in flooded streets, and was later labeled by the uploader as AI-generated. Another, viewed 2.6 million times, falsely depicts the eye of the storm from an airplane, mirroring footage from a US Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunters” flight on Monday.
The spread of misinformation during natural disasters can hinder emergency response efforts and create unnecessary panic. Yesterday, TikTok reportedly removed over two dozen AI videos related to the hurricane, but the deceptive content continues to proliferate. The proliferation of these videos highlights the growing challenge of distinguishing between authentic and synthetic media in the wake of increasingly sophisticated AI technology – a concern detailed in reports from organizations like the Brookings Institution.
Authorities are urging the public to rely on official sources for information about Hurricane Melissa, such as the National Hurricane Center. TikTok has been contacted for comment regarding the ongoing issue of AI-generated misinformation.
Hurricane Melissa AI videos widely circulating onlinepublished at 11:04 GMT
Paul Brown and Shayan Sardarizadeh
BBC Verify senior journalists
Many dramatic videos created with artificial intelligence are being shared online as Hurricane Melissa gets closer to Jamaica.
We have observed dozens of such videos on TikTok, which have racked up millions of views in total. A search for Hurricane Melissa on the platform leads users to many AI-generated or old clips from past storms.Some of the videos have watermarks that clarify they were created with AI-generators such as Open AI’s text-to-video model Sora.
Others have removed or blurred watermarks in an apparent attempt to mislead viewers, or feature fake reporters and a mix of short clips that appear like legitimate reports from local sources.
One video, viewed half a million times on TikTok, shows a woman on a balcony filming two sharks swimming in heavily flooded streets.
There’s a blurred sign visible on the bottom left of the clip, likely a watermark that’s been hidden. The uploader later added a label to the caption to indicate the video was made with AI.
One dramatic clip, viewed 2.6 million times, shows what appears to be the eye of the storm filmed from a passenger plane flying nearby.
“That moment when you realise the swirling clouds below aren’t just clouds… they’re a hurricane,” reads the caption.
But the video is not real, and was posted by a user who has a history of sharing fake clips of natural disasters. The clip appears similar to real footage filmed by a US Air Force Reserve crew known as the “Hurricane Hunters” on Monday.
Another clip shows a group of men running for safety as a huge wave makes landfall near a coast. A small VEO watermark is visible on the bottom right, which makes it clear the video was made using Google’s text-to-video generator.
According to an AFP report on Monday, external, TikTok recently removed more than two dozen AI videos of the hurricane. However, fake clips continue to circulate widely on the platform.
BBC Verify has asked TikTok for comment.
