A fake advisory claiming Barbados had changed its visa and entry requirements is the latest in a string of fabricated online posts that could damage the island’s reputation and hurt its economy, Home Affairs and Information Minister Wilfred Abrahams has said.
Calling the false reports “malicious” and “entirely fake,” Abrahams said the rapid spread of somewhat convincing, AI-generated content was becoming a serious threat to national credibility, particularly for a country that relies heavily on its tourism product.
“What happens when that story goes out? Somebody or a group who may be looking to come to Barbados will say ‘no, we don’t meet those requirements and whatnot’,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“Those fake stories damage our integrity and the credibility of Barbados locally and internationally. It’s going to impact our tourism product.”
He said the widely shared post falsely claims that Barbados has implemented new visa restrictions for select countries.
“That is entirely false. It is entirely fake,” Abrahams said.
He noted that the country is seeing a rise in misinformation generated using artificial intelligence, including material designed to resemble government statements or media reports.
“And I cannot overstate the potential issues we’re going to get with the proliferation of fake news stories that appear entirely genuine,” he said.
“A lot of them are AI-generated. They come across as being very legit.”
The latest hoax follows a viral AI-generated YouTube video that falsely claimed Prime Minister Mia Mottley had launched a regional political attack against former US President Donald Trump. That video, which had over 60 000 views as of last week, was swiftly discredited by the Prime Minister’s Office, which labelled it a “deliberate act of misinformation.”
On the heels of that, a false advisory alleging that the US had issued a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ alert on Barbados was circulated last week. The United States Embassy in Bridgetown and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds swiftly rubbished the claims, confirming that the travel advisory remains at the lowest level.
The government recently announced the launch of a new email address, reportfakenews@barbados.gov.bb, to give the public a direct channel to report suspected misinformation.
Abrahams said more tools are being developed, including options on social media platforms like Instagram, to make reporting easier.
“I’m going to ask Barbadians to get involved in the process,” he said.
“What happens to the reputation of Barbados, or how Barbados is perceived internationally, affects you. It affects your business. It affects your children. It affects the economy of Barbados.”
Abrahams reminded the public that any official changes to immigration policy, visa requirements, or foreign affairs positions would be issued through the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS) and echoed by credible media.
“If you don’t see it there, it is not true,” he said.
The minister added that chasing down and responding to fake stories consumes valuable government time and resources.
“It takes so much out of our processes for us to have to be chasing down these stories and trying to respond to them,” he said, adding that the damage goes beyond Barbados’ borders, as such content often spreads quickly internationally and may discourage visitors and investors. “To the persons [spreading false news], it’s malicious, it is counterproductive, and if you’re a Barbadian, you should be ashamed.” (SM)
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