Zeteo is proud to exclusively bring to our subscribers this urgent short film, which is particularly relevant in light of the level of disinformation used in the election of Donald Trump in the US.
This film ‘The Fake Mayor’ is a timely, urgent exploration of AI-driven disinformation and its impact on democracy, using the 2024 London mayoral election and the deepfake attack on Sadiq Khan as a focal point. Set in a year marked by calls for democratic renewal, the film is a stark warning that if a global major city like London cannot defend itself from AI-generated disinformation, then no election or nation is safe. The short film also shows how bad actors can easily and inexpensively use Islamophobia and xenophobia to create friction and destabilize society.
The film connects these themes to the US and other elections as well as recent British riots, underscoring how unregulated social media and AI continue to escalate political violence and deepen social divides.
With references to past election manipulation as seen in "The Great Hack," the story highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities to democracy caused by algorithm-fueled polarization and tech company indifference.
The central message of the film, “online violence is real-world violence,” urges viewers to consider the true costs of digital warfare, with a warning about the potential for rising political violence in the near future.
‘The Fake Mayor’ is brought to you by the team that made the Netflix documentary ‘The Great Hack’ that elevated the story of disinformation, Cambridge Analytica and the vulnerabilities that social media companies had inflicted upon society.
This film was initially available exclusively to Zeteo subscribers. It’s now free to access for everyone.
FULL CREDITS:
Directed by Karim Amer
Produced by Jia
Produced by Alex Baldwin
Produced by Mikaela Beardsley
Executive Producer Carole Cadwalladr
Co-Producer Faïza S’Lika
Edited by Federico G. Rosenzvit
Editors:
Zachary Obid
Patrick Walsh
Assistant Editor Bryan Smith
Additional Editing Chris Poole
Creative Partner - The Mayda Creative Co.:
Executive Creative Director - Ben Smith
Executive Producer - Zu Al-Kadiri
Producer - Hope Kuehne
Senior Designer - Gabriel Thomas Ayache
Designer - Jamie Zhang
UK Crew:
Director of Photography - Howard Mills
Camera Operator - Luca Stifani
Location Sound Mixer - Gabriel Stifani
Additional Cinematography - Alex Baldwin
US Crew:
Director of Photography - Tim Metzger
Location Sound Mixer - Austin Slayton
Production Assistant - Tanner Simpson
Additional Cinematography - Niki Waltl
Music by:
Gil Talmi Katya Mihailova
Michael Tuller
Reinhold Heil
Archives:
ABC, AlJazeera English, Associated Press, BBC, Channel 4 News, CNBC, CNN, CSPAN, Daily Express, Evening Standard, Firstpost, Forbes, Fox News, GB News, Money Control, The Guardian, Owen Jones, Politics Joe, Sky News, Story Blocks, The Telegraph.
Special Thanks:
Sadiq Khan
Hany Farid
Sarah Barrington
Nick Lowles
Riz Ahmed
Fatima Farheen Mirza
Mike Lerner
Sarah Brown
Zermina Toghey
Developed with the assistance of Minderoo.
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