Cameo is a great way to send a quirky gift to a loved one – and also seems to be an effective tool for creating war propaganda.
As you probably know, the platform allows people to pay for personalized video messages from celebrities, athletes, and influencers to be sent to their loved ones. These messages usually involve sending birthday wishes, congratulations on happy events, or words of encouragement for people going through hard times.
However, the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center reported that the service has recently been used for much more nefarious purposes.
Actors like Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings), Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Kate Flannery (The Office) and John McGinley (Scrubs) were paid to write messages for someone named “Vladimir.” The messages “informed him to seek help for substance abuse,” the report said.
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The videos were then edited by unknown players to appear as if they were targeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to spread false Russian claims that the leader was struggling with drug problems. In a previously widely circulated video in which Zelensky appeared to happily admit to using cocaine to boost energy, a Reuters analysis found the video was doctored and he was talking about coffee.
The New York Times reports that Cameo released a statement reiterating the company's community guidelines: “In cases where such violations are substantiated, Cameo will typically take steps to remove the problematic content and to block the buyer’s account to prevent further problems.”
A representative for Wood told the Times that while the actor created the video for Cameo, it was “in no way intended to be directed at Zelensky or have anything to do with Russia, Ukraine or the war.”
Earlier this week, Cameo made headlines after it added disgraced former congressman George Santos to its roster. According to Semafor, Santos is in high demand and is on track to earn his annual congressional salary of $174,000 in just a few weeks. His most prominent client to date is Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who bought a Cameo to troll impeached Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).
Related: 'Corn Kid' charges hundreds for videos on Cameo
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