KARACHI:
Currently, a very scary trend has gripped social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. We all know about fake news; however, today, digital cheaters are using Artificial Intelligence to trap vulnerable patients in Pakistan. Recently, I saw a video online where a very famous Pakistani doctor was openly recommending a specific herbal medicine for diabetes. The video looked 100% real, the voice was exactly his and even his lip movements matched perfectly. As I looked more closely, I realised that it was a deepfake video. The doctor had seemingly never even heard of that product.
This is a dangerous game for human lives. In our country, millions of people cannot afford expensive private hospital fees, so they easily trust online videos when they see a prominent doctor’s face. They buy these untested, local drops and capsules, which can easily ruin their kidneys or liver. This is not just digital fraud; it is a direct attack on public health.
Our cybercrime authorities and the PTA seem completely blind to this. They catch financial scammers, but what about these medical scammers who are putting innocent lives at risk? The government needs to wake up and take down these fake healthcare ads immediately. Social media networks must be held accountable for running these paid promotions without verification.
Talal Amin
Hub
