In a world increasingly blurred by digital innovation, what happens when the allure of a viral online sensation leads us astray from the real one?
This is the surprising question an elderly couple faced after embarking on a 300-kilometre journey to a much-hyped tourist spot, only to discover its true, virtual origins.
Driven by a desire to see a cable car featured in an online video, an elderly Malaysian couple travelled over 300km from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to the northwestern state of Perak, only to realise the footage was AI-generated and the attraction nonexistent.
A Trip to Nowhere: The Viral Deception
On 30 June, a hotel worker who informed the couple about the deception shared the incident on Threads, expressing her shock at their ordeal. '(The couple) came to check into the hotel, and they asked if I had ridden the cable car at Kuak Hulu. I thought they were kidding,' the worker stated. Kuak Hulu is a village in Gerik, Perak.
She soon realised the couple was serious when the older woman mentioned they had travelled from Kuala Lumpur specifically for it. The fabricated cable car appears in an almost three-minute-long AI-generated video. In the clip, a journalist from 'TV Rakyat' seemingly introduces the attraction and interviews visitors, including tourists from Thailand.
The video also includes scenes of people lining up at the 'Kuak SkyRide' ticket counter. It then transitions to show the cable car journeying over a vast area of trees, close to a stream, and past a group of grazing deer, before concluding near the base of Baling Mountain in the neighbouring Kedah state.
At the video's conclusion, an elderly lady in the background performs a handstand. As she flips, her body and legs distort into a misshapen form before she lands on her feet and regains her normal appearance.
The Unmasking: AI's Blurry Reality
'I was so shocked... I explained to the auntie that the video was made by artificial intelligence and not real,' said the hotel worker. 'The auntie then asked, "Why would anyone want to lie? There was even a reporter (in the video),"' she added.
The elderly woman maintained that she saw no comments beneath the video, suggesting it was fake, adding that she intended to sue the 'TV Rakyat' journalist. The worker stated she again attempted to remind the woman that the journalist in the video was not real.
A Journey's End: Lessons from a Digital Dream
When questioned about not verifying with their children before visiting the nonexistent attraction, the couple admitted they were too embarrassed. In her post, the worker urged people to confirm the places their parents plan to visit during their travels.
Since the incident gained widespread attention on social media, it has captured nationwide interest. As a result, local police are now urging the public to be cautious of viral online content and to verify the authenticity of such videos.
Beyond the Screen: The Call for Caution
Acting Baling police chief Ahmad Salimi Md Ali informed the New Straits Times on 3 July that no official complaints had been lodged. However, he emphasised that no such cable car project exists in the district, adding that preliminary checks confirmed the video was entirely fake.
'We advise the public not to fall for viral content without confirmation. In this era of AI-generated media, misleading materials can spread easily and cause confusion,' he said.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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