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| - SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Claim: A news report shows that physician and medical content creator Willie Ong is endorsing a hair growth product.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim has gained 283,000 views, 472 comments, and 1,900 reactions, as of writing.
The video, which shows 24 Oras news anchor Mel Tiangco, features Ong recommending Biotin Hair Shampoo from South Korea, claiming that it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Korean Cosmetics Association.
The Facts: The video is manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Deepfake detection tool TrueMedia found the video to have “substantial evidence of manipulation.” With a 100% confidence rate, the tool noted that it was created by an AI audio generator.
TrueMedia’s semantic analysis also pointed out that the transcript reads like an advertisement or promotional content, with exaggerated claims such as promising hair growth in just three days.
Biotin Hair Shampoo, the product mentioned in the video, is also not in the Philippine FDA’s list of registered food and drug products.
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Unrelated video: The news clip did not originate from the GMA primetime news show 24 Oras.
The original video that aired on September 13 was about a supposed doppelganger of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, who has been linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators. The doppelganger who goes by the allias “Cath” turned herself in to the National Bureau of Investigation because of the threats against her life.
Previous false claims: Rappler has fact-checked similar claims of Facebook accounts using Ong’s popularity and credibility as a physician to promote health products that are not registered with the FDA:
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong’s hypertension video ad is AI-manipulated (May 13, 2024)
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Ayurma Healing Oil (January 31, 2024)
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Nasure Colostrum Milk (December 24, 2023)
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Lung Gold Milk (December 18, 2023)
- FACT CHECK: Barley Grass Powder ad uses altered photo of Doc Willie Ong (September 29, 2023)
- FACT CHECK: Fake ads for hair growth product use Doc Willie Ong’s videos (August 11, 2023)
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong ad promoting whitening toothpaste is fake (July 25, 2023)
- FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong’s name, videos used in fake ads for Glufarelin (July 21, 2023)
– James Patrick Cruz/Rappler.com
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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