An international network of spammers are posting AI-generated images of Holocaust victims on Facebook, a BBC investigation into AI slop has found.
Organizations dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust say the images are leaving survivors and families distressed. They have also criticized Facebook's parent company Meta, saying it allows users on its platform to turn the atrocity into an emotional game.
There are only a handful of genuine photos from inside the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War Two. However, in recent months, AI spammers have posted fake images purporting to be from inside the camp, such as a prisoner playing a violin or lovers meeting at the boundaries of fences - attracting tens of thousands of likes and shares.
Here we have somebody making up the stories… for some kind of strange emotional game that is happening on social media, said Pawel Sawicki, a spokesperson for the Auschwitz Memorial in Poland. This is not a game. This is a real world, real suffering and real people that we want to and need to commemorate.
The BBC has tracked many of these images to the accounts of a network of Pakistan-based content creators who collaborate closely on how to make money on Facebook. They are gaming Meta's content monetization program, an invite-only system which pays users for high-performing content and views.
One account named Abdul Mughees, listed as living in Pakistan, posted screenshots claiming to have earned $20,000 through social media monetization schemes, including Meta's. Another post appears to show the account accrued more than 1.2bn views on content over four months. However, there is no independently verified data on the creators' earnings.
Among the many Facebook posts from Abdul Mughees' account are several AI-generated photos of fictional Holocaust victims and fake stories that include a child hiding under floorboards or a baby being left on train tracks outside a concentration camp.
Auschwitz has become a popular topic for history-themed pages and groups, some posting more than 50 times a day. In June, the Auschwitz Museum warned that accounts were stealing its posts, warping historical details or fabricating narratives and victims entirely.
The BBC asked Meta about several profiles that had posted Holocaust-themed AI content. Following this, several of the groups were removed. While they did not violate content policies, Meta's spokesman confirmed that accounts were disabled for violating rules around impersonation or spam.
Dr. Robert Williams from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance noted that Holocaust survivors are increasingly disturbed by the rise of these AI-generated narratives. He voiced a deep concern that the emotional response generated by these images could undermine the authenticity of actual Holocaust history.
The BBC's investigation highlights the imperative for social media platforms like Meta to better regulate content and protect sensitive historical narratives from profit-driven exploitation.
