As bear sightings and attacks rise across Japan, fake videos created by generative AI are proliferating on social media. These clips are heightening public anxiety and risking misunderstandings about how to respond to real encounters. Experts urge verifying information from multiple sources.
Government data indicate that bear attacks in Japan have resulted in a record 13 deaths since April, with more than 100 people attacked by September. Amid this surge, fake videos depicting aggressive bears are rapidly spreading on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
Examples include clips showing a news program reporting a bear sighting in a city, an elderly woman feeding fruit to a bear in a field, a high school girl fending off a bear, and a bear running away with a pet dog. A Yomiuri Shimbun search on TikTok for 'bear' and 'video' found that about 60% of 100 results bore the 'Sora' watermark from OpenAI's generative video model. Some creators noted AI use in their profiles, with views reaching hundreds of thousands.
Daisuke Furuta, chief editor of the Japan Fact-Check Center, stated, 'Along with increasing news reports of the damage caused by bear attacks, the number of fake bear videos have also increased,' urging awareness of deception risks. In Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, a fake video claimed a 1-meter bear was captured in a convenience store; a city official denied it, saying, 'This could make residents feel uneasy' and disrupt operations. A clip purporting people fleeing a bear in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, was also debunked, with officials advising reliance on local authority alerts.
Most AI-generated videos appeared in October or later, surging since late October, likely created for viral fun amid urban bear issues. Shinsuke Koike, professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, warned, 'Feeding a bear is extremely dangerous possibly resulting in bears no longer fearing humans.' He advised avoiding approach, retreating, and using bear spray while protecting the head and neck if attacked, emphasizing verification from multiple sources.
These fakes have prompted service disruptions: Japan Post suspended collections and deliveries in parts of Akita Prefecture last Wednesday for employee safety. NTT East is reviewing protocols for mountainous maintenance work, and Yamato Transport is considering halting parcel services during high-risk periods.