FACT CHECK: TikTok Video Incorrectly Alleges Leak of Biden-Hur Audio
A video posted on TikTok falsely claims to share leaked audio of an interview between President Joe Biden and Special Counsel Robert Hur. The video’s caption questions the authenticity of the audio and suggests that Biden should release the real audio to resolve any doubt. However, the claim was debunked by a media forensics and AI expert who confirmed the audio is not authentic. Additionally, concerns about the potential for deepfakes led the U.S. Department of Justice to argue against releasing the actual audio, fearing it could be manipulated by malicious actors. Major fact-checking organizations like Politifact have labeled the audio in the TikTok video as a “deepfake,” and a review of an official transcript reveals discrepancies between it and the audio presented in the video.
A video posted on TikTok claims to share leaked audio of President Joe Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur.
@kevsandersIs this a leaked audio of special counsel , Hur questioning Joe Biden.Is it real? If it’s fake, Joe Biden must release the real one. Otherwise, how can it be disputed?♬ original sound – KSanders
Verdict: False
The claim is false. A media forensics and artificial intelligence (AI) expert denied the claim’s authenticity to Check Your Fact in an email.
Fact Check:
In a recent filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) argued against releasing the audio of Biden’s interview with Hur, citing concerns about “deepfakes,” according to The Hill. The DOJ said if the audio was released it would be “easier for malicious actors to pass off an altered file as the true recording,” the outlet reported.
The TikTok video claims to share leaked audio of Biden’s interview with Hur. “Is this leaked audio of Special Counsel Hur questioning Joe Biden. Is it real? If it’s fake, Joe Biden must release the real one. Otherwise, how can it be disputed?” the video’s caption reads.
According to the audio, Hur appears to question Biden on duties performed by “front-office staff” and how Biden referred to these individuals. Biden appears to respond that he referred to these staff members by their first names “if [he] knew them.” Biden later appears to say he’s trying to “think back ten years now” or “about ten years” following the question from Hur.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact did not find the purported conversation shared via the TikTok video referenced in any credible news reports about Biden’s interview with Hur. In fact, the opposite is true. Politifact debunked the claim on June 7, labeling the audio as a “deepfake.”
Additionally, while a transcript of Biden’s October 8 interview with Hur does mention “front-office staff,” it does not match the audio included in the TikTok video exactly. Neither Biden nor the White House has publicly commented on the TikTok video purporting to share the audio of the interview with Hur. The DOJ has not issued a statement about the clip, either. (RELATED: No, Joe Biden Did Not Attempt To Sit Down On ‘A Chair That Does Not Exist’)
Furthermore, Dr. Walter Scheirer, a media forensics and AI expert at the University of Notre Dame, denied the claim’s authenticity to Check Your Fact in an email.
“This clip is highly suspect, and is possibly the product of a voice synthesis algorithm. The most obvious problem with it is that it is circulating on social media with no authoritative attribution. No trustworthy news outlet is reporting on it. Further, the nonsense response given at the end of the clip would be odd even for someone in cognitive decline. It is more representative of the types of artifacts associated with voice synthesis algorithms,” Scheirer said.
Check Your Fact also contacted a deepfake expert and the DOJ for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
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