After the recent horrifying incident in Minneapolis, ICE agents and the Department of Homeland Security have come under intense public scrutiny, with many activists and commentators calling for the defunding of ICE. While a large number of people have expressed righteous anger over what happened to Renee Nicole Good, others have continued to side with and defend ICE, including those in New York. As AI technology rapidly advances, it has become easier than ever to create highly convincing fake videos. Against this backdrop, one popular Instagram account has allegedly adopted a new strategy: flooding social media feeds with fake videos depicting ICE agents being targeted or harassed by civilians. These videos are not labeled as AI-generated, despite platform rules requiring disclosure. The account and its content are allegedly linked to a New York company called FunnelStreams.
The existence of the Instagram account, mikewaynedotcom, and its disturbing use of AI was first highlighted by a TikTok creator known as showtoolsai. He is widely recognized for analyzing viral videos and pointing out inconsistencies that reveal AI generation. In this case, he alerted viewers to mikewaynedotcom and explained that none of the videos were marked as AI-generated, even though Instagram’s rules require such labeling. He warned that these fake ICE videos could easily cause people to misunderstand real-world events involving ICE agents. He also shared practical tips on how viewers can spot AI-generated videos.
It did not take long for internet users to connect the account to the founder of FunnelStreams, a New York company. As the information spread, criticism intensified. One user wrote, “It’s low-quality content made by a company called FunnelStreams to generate traffic for their ‘AI School,’ but it turns out it’s a scam site.” Others echoed similar concerns, questioning whether a New York company should be allowed to profit from misleading content involving ICE narratives.
Beyond the specific account, many users expressed broader fears about misinformation and propaganda in the age of AI. One commenter warned, “Eventually it will be impossible to distinguish real from fake, and these models will be open source, so no tech company will be held accountable. This type of deception greatly benefits political extremists.” Another added, “AI videos are only going to improve in quality. A reckless and unethical government could fabricate video evidence to intimidate opponents and have innocent people detained. I fear for our future.”
Some users went even further, suggesting that the current upheaval in American politics, including heightened tensions around ICE, may be connected to unrelated scandals circulating online. One commenter claimed, “They’re actively trying to create an excuse to set martial law in motion. Whoever else is mentioned in the Epstein files must be very powerful.”
