Meta removes Facebook page after William Shatner exposes AI-generated fake news
Meta removed a Facebook page Thursday after William Shatner publicly called out the account for publishing AI-generated false stories about him, including claims he had stage 4 brain cancer and was dying.
Shatner posted on X that The Beanstalk Functions Group, which identified itself as an event planner in South Africa, created and monetized the fabricated posts. He said Facebook initially refused to take action despite his complaints.
The stories falsely claimed Shatner had stage 4 brain cancer, was involved in a fight with Erika Kirk, and was dying. All posts were monetized, generating revenue for the page operators.
After Shatner's public complaint, Meta confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that it removed the page "for violating our policies." The account was no longer accessible as of Thursday afternoon.
What PR and communications professionals should know
The incident illustrates a straightforward problem: AI tools can generate convincing misinformation at scale, and social platforms don't always catch it without public pressure. For communications teams managing client or organizational reputation, this matters.
Shatner noted that the fake stories "apparently seem genuine enough for fans to repost them across social media and send messages of support to me and my family." False narratives spread faster than corrections, a challenge that predates AI but one that generative tools have accelerated.
The posts linked to a website hosted on Next.js, a web development platform. Shatner contacted the parent company's CEO requesting removal. Entertainment Weekly reached out to Vercel (Next.js's parent company) and Beanstalk for comment but did not receive responses by publication.
Shatner delayed posting his warning until Thursday because Wednesday was April Fools' Day-he worried the message would be mistaken for a prank. He also noted that some followers initially believed the AI-generated images were authentic.
For PR and communications professionals, the case underscores why understanding how generative AI creates content matters. Monitoring for fabricated material, preparing rapid response protocols, and educating audiences about verification are now standard reputation management work.
"This is the downside of AI and yellow journalism," Shatner said. "While it can be a wonderful tool in the right hands, it can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands."
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