Fake videos of celebrities on Machranga's Instagram: Hacking alleged

The hacking of Maasranga Television's official Instagram account and the subsequent posting of objectionable videos featuring the faces of actresses Mehazabien Chowdhury and Pori Moni sparked widespread discussion and criticism on social media. An investigation by the fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner revealed that the videos were not authentic; they were created using face-swap technology to superimpose the actresses' faces onto existing footage.

Following the incident, Maasranga Television announced that it had regained control of the Instagram account and removed the videos. The organization further stated that a legal case had been filed regarding the incident. Authorities also addressed questions concerning why regular news content continued to be published on the account—and why the objectionable videos remained visible for an extended period—even after the hacking claim had surfaced.

What happened to the Instagram account?

In the early hours of October 13, five videos containing objectionable content were posted on Maasranga Television's official Instagram account. Two of these videos featured women resembling Mehazabien Chowdhury and Pori Moni. The videos spread rapidly, prompting speculation on social media about whether the account had been hacked.

Mahmud Rubel, the Multimedia Manager at Maasranga Television, informed the media outlet *The Descent* that their account had been hacked and that preparations were underway to file a case regarding the incident.

Videos edited using AI technology

Rumor Scanner's investigation revealed that the two videos in question were edited from original footage. Face-swap technology was used to replace the faces of the women in the original videos with those of Mehazabien Chowdhury and Pori Moni. Neither actress appeared in the original footage.

Consequently, presenting these videos as genuine footage of the two actresses is misleading. Disseminating such content can damage the reputation and public image of the individuals involved.

Why did posts continue after the hacking claim? Following the incident, the most frequently asked question on social media was: if the account had indeed been hacked, how did regular news content continue to be published on it? According to Rumor Scanner’s observations, 17 additional pieces of news content appeared on the account even after the offensive videos were posted. Most of these were older news items that had previously been published on the organization's Facebook page and Instagram profile.

Additionally, it was noted that the account had started following a specific user. These details led many to question the timeline of the alleged hacking and the status of the account's control.

Explanation for the delay in removing standard posts and videos

In a subsequent communication with Rumor Scanner, Mahmud Rubel, the Multimedia Manager at Machranga Television, stated that when the hacking incident was detected, they found 12 to 13 offensive videos on the account.

He explained that Machranga’s Instagram account is linked to their Facebook page; consequently, content published on Facebook is automatically cross-posted to Instagram. They attempted to remove the videos via Facebook, utilizing this integration. While most videos were successfully removed this way, the five videos in question remained.

Rubel claimed that the hackers had "boosted" those five videos to run them as advertisements. Removing them required the assistance of an ad manager, but at that time, both the Instagram account and the ad manager were beyond their control. The videos were removed only after they regained control of the account.

He also maintained that the news content published on the account had originated from their Facebook page.

Allegations against a former employee; Tamjid Rokon denies involvement

Following the incident, several Facebook users leveled allegations against Tamjid Rokon, a former employee of Machranga Television. Some claimed that he might have orchestrated the incident by utilizing his access to the account, possibly due to a dispute with the organization.

However, no evidence supporting these allegations emerged during the investigation. Tamjid Rokon denied any involvement when speaking to Rumor Scanner. According to him, he actually assisted the Machranga authorities in resolving the incident.

Mahmud Rubel also informed Rumor Scanner that Tamjid Rokon cooperated with them to resolve the issue. Consequently, the allegations circulating on social media cannot be considered verified information.

Account Recovery and Legal Action

In a statement issued on the evening of October 13, Machranga Television announced that their official Instagram account had been hacked in the early hours of the morning, leading to the publication of fake images and videos created through the misuse of AI technology. Following day-long efforts involving law enforcement agencies, Banani Police Station, the CID, the BTRC, and senior government officials, the account was recovered, and the offensive content was removed.

The organization expressed regret over the incident, which resulted in the defamation of the individuals involved. They also urged the public not to share the fake content or disseminate information without verification.

Subsequently, Mahmud Rubel informed Rumor Scanner that a legal case had been filed regarding the incident.

Fake Statement Attributed to Pori Moni

Another piece of misleading content circulated on social media in connection with the incident. A Facebook page named 'Sayma Mahi' disseminated a statement attributed to actress Pori Moni using a photo-card designed to mimic the style of Machranga Television. The post claimed that the actress had threatened to leak videos of certain political leaders if the excessive scrutiny regarding her continued.

However, Rumor Scanner’s verification confirmed that Pori Moni made no such comment. Therefore, the statement circulated in the photo-card is also fake.

Risks of Spreading Unverified Content

The incident involving a video posted on Machranga Television’s Instagram account—and the subsequent spread of fabricated statements—demonstrates how easily AI-generated content can create confusion regarding real individuals.

One should not automatically accept such videos or photo cards as authentic. It is essential to verify information by checking the original source, the statements of the individuals involved, and reliable fact-checks. Sharing offensive content created using someone's likeness can further damage that person's reputation.

Machranga Television has stated that it recovered the account, removed the videos, and initiated legal action. Meanwhile, it is also important to refrain from circulating claims—such as allegations against a former employee—without reliable evidence.