Penguin residents were briefly sent into a tailspin after convincing fake images of the town’s Big Penguin statue appearing smashed and destroyed did the rounds on social media.
The AI-generated photos ruffled more than a few feathers, with locals questioning whether the iconic roadside attraction had actually been vandalised.
Central Coast mayor Cheryl Fuller said a member of parliament shared the images with her to highlight the hoax and to show just how believable the photos looked.
“I immediately thought that it might have been true,” she told Pulse.
“I think we’re perhaps still a little bit immune to this sort of image manipulation, or perhaps I’m the wrong generation.”
The realistic nature of the fake images caught many off-guard, with some residents experiencing genuine distress before learning the truth.
“Bloody AI, you can’t believe your own eyes anymore,” one local commented on social media..
Another said the image was “not funny at all.”
“Small things entertain small minds,” the local commented.
The admin of the Penguin Tas Community Page on Facebook made a public announcement later on Sunday, letting people know the images that had been posted were in fact fake.
“Any posts regarding damage to the Big Penguin statue is FAKE NEWS. Also posts spreading this spam will be deleted without notice,” the admin wrote.
Fuller said upon closer inspection of the photo, she noticed subtle inconsistencies, including incorrect signage around the statue area.
“I had a fleeting moment where some expletives came out, and then I went, no, no, no, that can’t be right,” Fuller said.
She said the incident was an example of the rising concern about the public’s ability to identify AI-generated content.
“We are a community and perhaps a culture who instinctively thinks that what I see is the truth, and then we question it,” Fuller said.
“Perhaps now we’re entering more of an age where we all need to presume that something isn’t right as a first response and work backwards.”
Fuller said the penguin statue remained safe and undamaged, reassuring residents the beloved landmark remains upright, uncracked and proudly perched in Penguin.
“Thanks for doing the welfare check on the penguin,” she said.
“It is important that we keep welfare front of mind for all our penguins, little and big.”
“The penguin is safe and sound…he’s got another 150 years in him I reckon.”
