Colombo Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar has issued a stern warning that legal proceedings will be initiated against those found responsible for circulating artificial intelligence-generated videos falsely depicting flood conditions in the capital city.
Fabricated Content Spreading Alarm
The fake videos, believed to have been created using AI-powered tools, portray scenes of severe flooding in Colombo that did not occur. Authorities say the content has been widely shared across social media platforms, causing unnecessary panic and confusion among the public.
Mayor Balthazaar made clear that the Colombo Municipal Council takes such misinformation extremely seriously, particularly when it has the potential to trigger public disorder or undermine trust in official communications during times of actual emergencies.
A Growing Concern in the Digital Age
The incident highlights a broader challenge facing Sri Lanka and countries worldwide — the increasingly sophisticated misuse of artificial intelligence to produce convincing but entirely fictitious audio-visual content, commonly referred to as deepfakes.
Such fabricated material can rapidly spread through messaging applications and social media networks, often outpacing official clarifications and corrections from authorities.
Legal Framework and Public Warning
Sri Lanka's existing legal framework provides for action against individuals who knowingly spread false information capable of causing public harm. Authorities are expected to pursue those behind the videos under relevant provisions.
- AI-generated videos falsely depicted flooding in Colombo
- Content circulated widely on social media platforms
- Mayor Balthazaar confirmed legal action will be pursued
- The incident raises concerns about AI misuse in spreading misinformation
The Mayor urged members of the public to rely only on verified official sources for information regarding weather events and emergencies, and to refrain from sharing unverified content that could cause widespread alarm.
Spreading fabricated content of this nature is not only irresponsible but constitutes a serious offence that will be dealt with firmly under the law.
Residents and social media users are being urged to report any such misleading content to the relevant authorities, as investigations into the origin of the videos are understood to be underway.
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how to even prove who made it with AI nowadays
but will they actually follow through? goverment always warns, nothing happens
good, these fake videos causing unnecessary panic in already hard times
exactly, ppl were sharing like crazy without checking