An attorney representing celebrity pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes has taken legal action against YouTube to combat artificial intelligence-generated misinformation about his client. The attorney filed a motion seeking to subpoena Google for information on the identities of four YouTube account holders who posted false claims about Jakes. These accounts are suspected to be located in Pakistan, South Africa, the Philippines, and Kenya. The motion alleges that elements of the videos were likely created with AI tools, with the intention to spread misinformation and profit from ads on the platform. YouTube has not responded to the request for comment.
Jakes has been the subject of numerous YouTube videos containing false information, particularly stemming from rumors surrounding Sean “Diddy” Combs, with whom Jakes has been associated. A lawsuit against Combs by Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in November 2023 led to a wave of allegations against him, including sex trafficking and other crimes. An online misinformation ecosystem targeting Black celebrities, including Jakes, Combs, Steve Harvey, and Denzel Washington, has flourished.
The motion states that YouTube has failed to take adequate action on the flagged videos, and Jakes intends to pursue defamation litigation against the individuals behind the YouTube channels with the help of the subpoenaed information. The attorney describes the false and defamatory content that has been circulated, including fake images of Jakes in compromising situations, arrest claims, and other sensationalized allegations. Jakes has previously filed a defamation suit against another individual who accused him of sexual assault on a podcast, although no charges were ever filed.
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