You Gave Me the Answer: How do you deal with misinformation and AI content?

As the song goes, ‘I saw the news today, oh boy’… In this new age of online misinformation, it seems there are more sensationalist stories out there than ever before! 

Here at PaulMcCartney.com, we often get asked to comment on news stories about Paul which are circulating on social media, most of which are simply not true. Some of them even involve AI-generated images of Paul, which can sometimes be quite convincing! 

So, how can Paul’s online followers sort the fact from the fiction? This month’s question comes from Daisy… 

Daisy asks: With so much AI out there now how do you deal with the misinformation or AI created content that is supposedly you? How can we be sure what might be official? 

Paul: How do I know if this question isn’t even AI generated? Ha! Seriously though, there’s so much of it about and it can be hard to know what is real. I think most people can still tell the difference but some of it is getting pretty clever.  

Friends are often telling me they’ve seen pictures of me doing things which I haven’t done. Or read things I’ve said that I’ve not said. Or there are songs appearing with me apparently on them. Some of it is really wild!  

I always say that it’s best to check my website and my own social media accounts to see if it’s official, as that’s where we share news about what I’m up to. If it’s not there then the chances are that it’s fake news!  

In other words, ‘It’s Not True’! Don’t believe everything you read online – unless it’s here on PaulMcCartney.com! You can also find a full list of Paul’s official social media accounts here. If the news is coming from an account not listed there, please think twice before you share or comment on it. And remember to report impersonator accounts to the social media platforms. 

Got a question for Paul? Submit yours via the Paul McCartney Official Fan Group on Facebook.