Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized Meta, the parent company of Instagram, for not adding an Artificial Intelligence label to a fabricated image of alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding that she presented during a recent press briefing. Wedding is currently undergoing legal proceedings in California after being extradited from Mexico. However, questions have arisen regarding the circumstances of his arrest due to conflicting accounts from Mexican and U.S. authorities.
During a press conference, Sheinbaum showcased an image from an Instagram account linked to Wedding, portraying him in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. An investigation by CBC News revealed that the image was AI-generated. The Instagram account in question had previously shared AI-created pictures of Wedding. When asked about the use of the manipulated image, Sheinbaum referenced Meta’s failure to properly label AI content according to their social media policies.
Meta has stated its intention to label AI-generated content on its platforms but mentioned that not all such content may be identifiable. Despite this, the company did not respond immediately to requests for comment. CBC News attempted to verify the authenticity of the Instagram account @bossryanw, allegedly linked to Wedding, but received no concrete evidence connecting it to him. The account also sent a partial image of a Mexican ID card belonging to Wedding’s wife, with signs of potential AI manipulation.
Sheinbaum utilized the @bossryanw Instagram account during the press conference to support the claim that Wedding surrendered at the U.S. embassy. Wedding is facing multiple charges in the U.S., including drug trafficking and murder-related offenses. The Mexican government has come under scrutiny following statements from FBI director Kash Patel and Wedding’s lawyer, suggesting that Wedding was apprehended on Mexican soil by U.S. agents, contradicting official assertions.
Sheinbaum reiterated that Wedding surrendered based on information provided by U.S. authorities. She referred to a post by the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, stating that Wedding’s surrender was a result of joint efforts by Mexican and U.S. law enforcement. When questioned about discrepancies in statements, Sheinbaum maintained her position and emphasized the importance of truthfulness. She dismissed suggestions of hidden operations by the U.S. in Mexico, stating that transparency is essential in their dealings.