This time, AI is behind fake Steve Harvey death hoax
What's the story
In a shocking turn of events, popular American television personality and comedian Steve Harvey fell prey to a fake AI-generated story claiming his death.
The news went viral on social media platforms in no time, triggering an outpouring of anger and confusion among his fans.
However, the 67-year-old host of Family Feud and ABC's daytime courtroom series Judge Steve Harvey is alive and well.
Here's what happened.
Hoax origin
Here's how the fake news about Harvey's death spread
The Wrap reported that the fake story, titled Steve Harvey Passed Away Today: Remembering The Legacy Of A Comedy Legend, was first published on Trend Cast News with a future publishing date of Thursday (December 19).
It was then shared on the news roundup site Newsbreak, from where it spread to other social media platforms and began trending in Google search results.
Fan reactions
Harvey's silence and fans' outrage over death hoax
Harvey has not yet released an official statement on the hoax. However, he has been posting messages to his fans on X/Twitter and Facebook.
In one post, he shared a holiday picture with his wife Marjorie, writing: "Throwing it back to Christmas moments filled with love, laughter, and reflection."
While these posts confirmed he was well, many fans were furious over the fake news going viral.
Statement
'The internet really needs to stop playing with people's lives'
One fan tweeted, "IS STEVE HARVEY DEAD WTF IS GOING ON!, (sic)."
Another user expressed their frustration, stating: "The internet really need to stop playing with people's lives. That false ass news about Steve Harvey being dead wrong."
A third person humorously remarked: "If @TMZ doesn't say Steve Harvey is dead, he's not dead," and another added, "Nearly had a stroke when I got the news that Steve Harvey passed away..."
Past incidents
Harvey's history with death hoaxes
Notably, this isn't the first time Harvey has been a victim of a death hoax.
Fact-checking website Snopes uncovered that he has been the target of multiple fake death stories in the past, all of which were debunked.
In July 2023, Harvey even responded to one such hoax with a meme about himself.
In the recent event, a suspected AI error is believed to have caused a false report incorrectly announcing the death of the TV star.