Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson warns of dangers of social media fakes and hoaxers after his family was targeted
TORY deputy chairman Lee Anderson has warned of the dangers of social media fakes and hoaxers after his family was targeted.
He called on the public to be more “media savvy” after someone pretended to be his son Charlie on the radio and claimed the MP assaulted him.
The prankster was put live on air during a phone-in on LBC with Boris Johnson’s sister Rachel Johnson and accused Mr Anderson of trying to headbutt him during a drunken rage.
Mr Anderson said it was “the worst thing a parent could imagine”.
Writing in The Sun on Sunday, he told of his ordeal for the first time: “As the old saying goes, a lie can be halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on — it went viral.
“I raised my boys single-handedly and they mean everything to me.
“To think that there are people out there who believe I would do something like that makes me sick to my stomach.”
He also warned the rise of AI and deep fakes of politicians could pose a danger at the general election.
Mr Anderson added: “Think of it as Photoshop on steroids — images or videos so real, you’d swear they’re the genuine article.
“Politicians are already being caught in the crossfire, their words twisted.
“This technology could pose a real danger at the general election.”
Deepfake videos of Sir Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan did the rounds earlier this year.