You know those weird images that have been flooding your Facebook feed lately? Yes, I’m talking about those crazy posts with homeless veterans with poorly written signs or cliffs that look like Jesus. I talked about it a few weeks ago, and now I’ve dug deeper. Welcome to the era of AI content on Facebook, a world where absurdity reigns supreme and, surprisingly, there are those who make a lot of money from it. Even $400 per image.
Prepare yourself for a journey into the dark side of artificial creativity, fueled by the warped incentives of Facebook itself: yes sir, Zuckerberg has messed up again.
The Mechanism Behind AI’s Invasion of Misleading Content
A recent survey 404 Media has shed light on the phenomenon of AI content on Facebook, revealing an entire ecosystem dedicated to the automated creation and distribution of images on the large social network “F”.
Creators in countries like Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia use tools like Microsoft AI Image Creator to mass-produce content, posting dozens of images every day, sometimes every hour. And the fault lies with yet another abuse plaguing all of our timelines: the operator. Again, Facebook is to blame.
The caption reads “Made by my hands.” And tens of thousands of likes and comments are coming in for the talented boy (who doesn’t exist).
Facebook’s Bonus Program: A Perverse Incentive
The heart of the problem lies in Facebook’s creator bonus program. Accounts that post regularly can be invited to participate and start earning money from viral content. This incentive has created another perverse mechanism: the more you post, no matter what, the greater the potential earnings.
As a result, the goal became to publish as much as possible, sometimes hundreds of times a day. And produce the simplest and most immediate reaction. Result? A monstrous bombardment, which exceeds even the worst predictions.
The AI Spam Ecosystem
As in all spam circles, a parallel economy of tools and knowledge has developed to get this business off the ground. There are dedicated YouTube channels, guides on Fiverr and Gumroad, and Telegram channels filled with plain English prompts to help AI image generators create viral content.
I won’t go into details, also to avoid further contributing to the phenomenon. I’ll just say that with a combination of Vercel accounts, WordPress and automated tools, spammers are able to bypass Facebook’s spam detection systems (as ridiculous as they are), creating posts that look like photo albums but are actually disguised links.
Another trend is that of dream places. A simple caption like “Fantastic place” and here are thousands and thousands of curious people asking where it is. They will all have wrong answers, because this place does not exist.
Facebook’s inadequate response
Facebook, or rather Meta, seems to be in an ambiguous position regarding this situation. On the one hand, the company claims to encourage creators to use AI tools to produce high-quality content that meets community standards. On the other hand, Meta’s content moderation teams can’t keep up with the deluge of AI content.
“We know that bad actors adapt their tactics to evade our rules, which is why we are always working to improve our detection and enforcement,” a Meta spokesperson said.
Another specialty of AI spam: religious content. Images that, when looked at closely, reveal the shape or face of Jesus. Thousands and thousands of comments from enthusiastic followers about the “miracle.” And easy money for those who publish them.
The ethical and social implications, and our local “clever people”.
This phenomenon raises serious ethical questions. On the one hand, for some creators in developing countries, this practice represents a significant economic opportunity. On the other hand, behaviors that degrade the overall quality of content on Facebook and can mislead users.
And we put ours too. And yes, because Facebook incentives are also granted to “unsuspected” European and Italian newspapers. So, without naming names but staying on the pages of our sector (scientific dissemination), we see famous sites suddenly start compulsively publishing frivolous or increasingly off-topic topics. All this to get additional likes and comments, generously paid by Facebook.
Zuckerberg’s Responsibilities
It is clear that Facebook bears primary responsibility for this situation. The incentives created by the platform have effectively encouraged this practice. While the company claims to be working to improve detection and enforcement, in reality there appears to be a lack of will to address the root of the problem.
Facebook could implement stricter measures to identify and limit low-quality AI content. It could also revise its creator bonus program to reward quality over quantity. The ideas are there, it just needs to be implemented. However, as long as this content continues to generate engagement and, therefore, profits for Facebook, the company risks remaining… How to put it? Ambivalent.
In conclusion
The invasion of AI content on Facebook is a symptom of a larger problem: a business model that prioritizes engagement over content quality more than ever. And it ends up humiliating artificial intelligence itself, which has the potential to enrich our online experience. Their inappropriate use, encouraged by short-sighted corporate policies, leads to a further deterioration of the social media ecosystem, already degraded by previous “mistakes” (accidental or intentional). It is time for Facebook to take responsibility for creating a healthier and more authentic online environment, even if it means sacrificing some of its profits.
