"Ken Naoko Found Dead at Home"... Rumors Spread
"Accused of Deliberately Stirring Controversy to Boost Views"
As fake news featuring celebrities has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally, Japan also experienced confusion due to fake news claiming the death of a veteran star.
On the 29th, the Japan Fact-Check Center stated, "Rumors that singer Ken Naoko died at home have spread, but this is fake news," adding, "The YouTube account at the source is distributing numerous fake reports about the obituaries of prominent figures." Ken Naoko is a Japanese singer and actress who enjoyed her heyday from the mid-1970s to the 1980s with her unique singing style and natural wit. Earlier, on the 11th, a video titled "Ken Naoko passed away at home at the age of 70. Thousands cried at the funeral" was uploaded on YouTube and spread through X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms. The video featured a voiceover saying, "Ken Naoko was involved in a traffic accident while returning home." The video was viewed more than 1.44 million times. On X, a post by singer Asuka saying, "Ken Naoko, is this a lie?" recorded over 870,000 views.
Nine days after the fake video was posted, on the 20th, Ken Naoko uploaded a video on her official Instagram showing herself eating. On the 23rd, she also performed in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture. The YouTube account that posted the problematic video has posted numerous fake reports about the obituaries of prominent figures besides Ken Naoko. The videos show still images in a slideshow format, with an automated voice reading out the obituaries of prominent figures. The voice sounds like unnatural Japanese, as if it was directly translated from a foreign language using translation software.
The Japan Fact-Check Center pointed out, "Not only on YouTube but also online, there is a business model where advertising revenue can be earned based on the number of views," adding, "There are many intentional offenders who freely misuse the names or videos of prominent figures or stir up controversy to gather views." They advised, "When a prominent figure dies, major media outlets report it simultaneously. If the news comes from media or individuals you have never heard of, you should verify it with other media sources."
Meanwhile, fake news through YouTube is also rampant domestically, causing problems. When issues arise, channels change their names and upload videos again. For example, the YouTube channel 'FuRi Creator,' identified as a source of fake news, deleted all its videos but soon changed its name to 'IssueFind' and resumed operations. This channel mainly produces shorts (short videos) and indiscriminately spread fake news such as "President Yoon Suk-yeol got angry after being hit by a Makgeolli bottle during a speech," "Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is marrying singer Hong Jin-young," and "Former President Park Geun-hye gave 150 million won as a congratulatory gift for politician Lee Jun-seok's wedding." In response, the Korea Communications Standards Commission held a subcommittee meeting to officially review the channel and planned to take strong measures such as deletion and blocking. However, the channel voluntarily deleted the videos, feeling pressured by public criticism, and the situation was temporarily resolved.
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