White House Accused of Using Google AI to Manipulate Photo of Civil Rights Activist Nekima Levy Armstrong
The White House has been accused of using Google's artificial intelligence (AI) tools to digitally alter a photo of civil rights activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, making it appear as though she was sobbing during her arrest in Minnesota.
The altered image, which was posted on the White House's official X account, showed Armstrong looking distraught, with the caption labeling her as a "far-left agitator" and accusing her of "orchestrating church riots." However, according to eyewitnesses and lawyers representing Armstrong, this is not what actually happened.
Jordan Kushner, an attorney for Levy Armstrong, described her behavior at the time of her arrest as calm, rational, and dignified. He accused the White House of using manipulated images to create a false narrative about Armstrong's character, and warned that such tactics could have a prejudicial effect on the case against her.
The photo was originally posted on Twitter by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and later picked up by the White House. It is unclear when exactly the image was altered, but Google's SynthID tool has confirmed that it was done using their AI tools.
This incident highlights concerns about the use of AI in media manipulation, particularly in high-stakes politics. "Enforcement of the law will continue," said a spokesperson for the White House, but Kushner argued that such tactics undermine the rule of law and are meant to create propaganda rather than inform the public.
The controversy raises questions about the responsibility of tech giants like Google to police their tools against misuse, as well as the limits of free speech in the digital age. As one lawyer noted, "This isn't just a meme; this is part of a larger effort by the White House to control the narrative and silence dissenting voices."
The White House has been accused of using Google's artificial intelligence (AI) tools to digitally alter a photo of civil rights activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, making it appear as though she was sobbing during her arrest in Minnesota.
The altered image, which was posted on the White House's official X account, showed Armstrong looking distraught, with the caption labeling her as a "far-left agitator" and accusing her of "orchestrating church riots." However, according to eyewitnesses and lawyers representing Armstrong, this is not what actually happened.
Jordan Kushner, an attorney for Levy Armstrong, described her behavior at the time of her arrest as calm, rational, and dignified. He accused the White House of using manipulated images to create a false narrative about Armstrong's character, and warned that such tactics could have a prejudicial effect on the case against her.
The photo was originally posted on Twitter by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and later picked up by the White House. It is unclear when exactly the image was altered, but Google's SynthID tool has confirmed that it was done using their AI tools.
This incident highlights concerns about the use of AI in media manipulation, particularly in high-stakes politics. "Enforcement of the law will continue," said a spokesperson for the White House, but Kushner argued that such tactics undermine the rule of law and are meant to create propaganda rather than inform the public.
The controversy raises questions about the responsibility of tech giants like Google to police their tools against misuse, as well as the limits of free speech in the digital age. As one lawyer noted, "This isn't just a meme; this is part of a larger effort by the White House to control the narrative and silence dissenting voices."
This whole thing with Nekima Levy Armstrong's photo is super shady. Like, who does that? The fact that Google AI tools were used to manipulate the image raises huge questions about accountability and responsibility for tech giants. Can't have them just free-wheeling with their algorithms without any oversight 
. And what's up with the White House trying to spin this as some kind of propaganda effort? It feels like they're more concerned with controlling the narrative than actually seeking truth 
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that photo was literally not even close to what happened she looked all calm and stuff during her arrest lol and now they're trying to make her look bad just to control the narrative 
it's so fishy why r they even using google ai for this kinda thing can't they just be honest with ppl? 
i feel like this whole thing is just an example of how tech giants need to step up their game and make sure these kinds of things don't happen again 
And what really gets my goat is that Google didn't even try to hide it, the AI tool confirmed it was done using their tools. Talk about accountability. The White House's trying to spin this as just a mistake, but I'm not buying it. This kind of manipulation can have serious consequences and undermine trust in our institutions. We need more transparency and regulation around tech giants' use of AI, pronto! 
. I mean, who tries to change someone's image to make them look bad? It's not right.
. The White House should be more transparent about where they're getting their info and how they're presenting it to the public. This whole thing is like, totally fishy 
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. We need to stay vigilant and make sure our tech giants are on the same page as us 
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. And tech companies, like Google, just standing by and letting it happen? It's like they're complicit in this whole thing 
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. We deserve better 