Facebook overwhelmed by false publications accusing celebrities of homophobia

For several weeks, many Facebook users have been seeing a wave of posts on their news feed claiming that some celebrities are homophobic. Behind these viral contents: images and quotes generated by artificial intelligence, designed to spread misinformation – often effectively.

Artists widely recognized for their support of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Cher, Pink, and Mick Jagger, are among the main targets of these deceptive posts.

One of the most striking examples shows a doctored image of Cher – a longtime ally of LGBTQ+ communities and whose child is a transgender man – posing alongside Donald Trump, accompanied by a fictitious statue describing her as a “pop goddess.” On her actual Facebook account, the singer clearly displays her support for Pride, with the word “PRIDE” surrounded by rainbow flags.

While some internet users quickly identify the deception, pointing out that the scene “could never have happened,” others seem to fall for it. “Cher deserves this. She is the best,” commented one person, taking the image seriously.

Invented quotes and fabricated stories

Other posts go even further by attributing false statements in favor of Donald Trump to celebrities like Cher, Pink, or Pedro Pascal. For example: “Donald Trump is a tough man. He can be harsh, direct, and unfiltered. But in my entire life, no one has fought as hard for the soul of America.”

Another example is a post claiming that Mick Jagger is facing a boycott for alleged homophobic remarks, stating that “children should not be exposed to cartoons including LGBTQ themes.” Again, these claims are not based on any facts or statements.

These contents, although easily verifiable with a simple online search, still find an echo among some internet users. In the comment sections, several messages repeat or validate these statements, contributing to amplifying hostile discourses towards LGBTQ+ individuals.

Targeted misinformation and algorithmic amplification

These posts are part of a broader phenomenon involving misinformation and disinformation. The former involves the unintentional dissemination of misleading information, while the latter corresponds to the deliberate creation of false content to promote an ideology or influence public opinion.

In this case, the contents seem clearly biased: they aim to associate popular figures with anti-LGBTQ+ discourses, often in line with certain conservative rhetoric.

This is not the first time this type of manipulation has circulated on social media. Last year, false posts had attributed critical remarks towards conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel to singer Sam Smith, diverting the conversation to gender-neutral pronouns issues.

A conducive context to proliferation

The spread of these contents also occurs in a context of transformation in platform moderation policies. After the re-election of Donald Trump, Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads – announced the end of its fact-checking program.

Its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, justified this decision by citing “excessive censorship.” This stance raises concerns among several observers, as mechanisms for regulating misinformation weaken.

In this climate, marginalized communities – including LGBTQ+ individuals – become prime targets for disinformation campaigns. These campaigns exploit algorithmic biases and viral dynamics to spread divisive messages more widely.

Result: a digital environment where truth and falsehoods increasingly blur – and where user vigilance becomes essential.