Detroit police debunk Tea App 'Tea Bag Killer' as deepfake

Police debunk 'Tea' App deepfake

It popped off in Detroit this week, leading to a serious rumor about a serial killer linked to it. It?s the number one free app on Apple. The women-only app lets you post photos of men you?re dating to gauge other women?s experiences, which are rarely positive.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Tea app, a women-only app where they can post photos to get intel about men they’re dating, is once again stirring up controversy.

Big picture view:

It popped off in Detroit this week, leading to a serious rumor about a serial killer linked to it. It’s the number one free app on Apple.

The women-only app lets you post photos of men you’re dating to gauge other women’s experiences, which are rarely positive.

Then on Friday, it was hacked.

What they're saying:

Users have to take selfies with their license to get approved, and 13,000 of those photos were leaked online. Now, the app is beefing up security, but controversy is clinging to it in the form of this AI-generated newscast this week.

Detroit police say there is absolutely no truth to the so-called Tea Bag Killer.

"The post even had the name of a DPD investigator, but there’s no one by that name at this department," said Detroit Police Spokesperson Jackson Vidaurri. "It can mislead you at best; at worst, it can be somewhat malicious."

Dig deeper:

Cyber expert John Patterson says here’s what to look out for.

"Maybe odd phrasing, maybe a weird gesture, long pauses, odd timing," Vidaurri said.

He sees those inconsistencies in the video about the faux Tea Bag Killer posted by Dax News, but older generations might not be as savvy. Patterson says AI will soon infiltrate almost everything that’s connected to the internet.

"You need to vet anything you’re seeing online, and it’s never been more important than right now, where AI has a role in perpetuating misinformation," Vidaurri said.