Daniel O’Donnell Denies Fake AI-Generated Stories About Himself and Family: “All Lies”
September 2023 — Country music legend Daniel O’Donnell has taken to social media to address and deny a series of fake stories circulating about him and his family. The stories, which have been published on a number of fake websites, use AI-generated images and misleading headlines to deceive fans and drive traffic to fraudulent links.
The singer, known for his decades-long career and devoted fanbase, expressed his frustration and concern over the fake pages that have been exploiting his name. In a statement issued by his publicist and niece, Tricia, O’Donnell urged his followers not to engage with the fabricated content, which he called “all lies.”
“Can I please ask you not to engage with these pages?” O’Donnell wrote in a message shared on his official social media channels. “They are all lies, photos that have been altered. All to get people to click into them. The only pages you ever need to read official news from is this page.”
One of the most egregious claims featured in the fake articles suggested that O’Donnell’s sister, Margo, was gravely ill and in hospital, calling for prayers for her recovery. This false information only added to the distress caused by the widespread disinformation, as fans expressed their concern before realizing the article was part of the scam.
The articles are designed to lead unsuspecting fans to links where they are encouraged to click and potentially make purchases, all under the guise of being linked to O’Donnell’s name. These fraudulent sites have exploited the singer’s fame in an effort to make money at the expense of his loyal audience.
This unfortunate situation comes just days after O’Donnell announced his decision to take an extended break from touring. The 63-year-old country star revealed that health challenges, including allergies and recurrent chest infections, have made it increasingly difficult for him to continue his busy touring schedule. He emphasized that the break was not a retirement, but rather a temporary pause to allow him to recharge and recover.
O’Donnell’s message to fans was clear: to avoid engaging with any unofficial pages or content and to rely only on his official channels for news and updates.