As previously described for Twitter (now X), there is a familiar pattern of popular social media platforms turning a blind eye to cybercriminals' creation of imposter accounts to launch phishing attacks via fake adverts. Our preliminary research (2022-23) revealed that Facebook and Instagram were the most popular platforms reported by the financial victims of the Dr Michael Mol and Tim Noakes brandjackings. Cybercriminals are now also making use of Tik Tok for widespread promotion of the "Dr Noakes' erection solution'. While their earlier brandjacks have used synthetic content, the latest feature deep fake videos of Tim speaking for most of the "advert".

As "Tim's" Facebook advert is accompanied by negative comments from victims (such as "You stole my money!") it is seems inconceivable that a genuine, impartial, humane reviewer can argue that such scamming content is "acceptable". * Perhaps an alternate explanation is that META is following orders from powerful outsiders in not applying its own policies! In exploring the patterns of this cybercrime's victims, it is notable that low-carbohydrate experts were targeted across continents. Amongst the fake advertising for them, Emeritus Professor Tim Noakes' stands out for his likeness/reputation having been re-used the most. It is not unrealistic to hypothesise that Western intelligence agencies may ask social media platforms to ignore content that degrades the reputations of prominent state propaganda critics. Dr Piers Robinson suggested this hypothesis based on experiences in facing character assassination via corporate media after setting up the Working Group on Syria, Media and Propaganda. It stumbled upon a strategic deception, perpetrated by the US, UK and French governments, regarding chemical weapons attacks in Syria, and their improper investigation. As Piers tweeted, 'from detaining and interrogating journalists such as Julian Assange, Richi Medhurst, Vanessa Beeley and Kit Klarenberg, through to smearing/character assassination across social media against Sharyl Attkisson, there are a myriad of ways used to suppress dissent.'

Prof Noakes has also faced character assassination after publicly challenging health propaganda related to "The Science"™ behind the US government's (high-carbohydrate-promoting) food pyramid, plus the worldwide promotion of (poorly/untested) COVID-19 genetic "vaccinations". Perhaps META's repeated failure to block these adverts is not an oversight of its responsibility to its users, but rather deliberate in following external directives. Worse, some scams may not be just the work of cybercriminals, but also be supported by intelligence agencies experimenting with fake endorsements as a new tool in their character assassination arsenal?!

In an interview on the Deepfake content 'explosion', a Facebook spokesperson recently stated that 'Content that purposefully intends to deceive or exploit others for money violates our policies, and we remove violating content when its found.' Interestingly, this spokesperson did not detail what META's response is to content being reported. There is also a missed opportunity to check whether the Facebook response to the reported victims and their representatives (Leanne Manas, Patrice Motsepe, Elon Musk, Nicky Oppenheimer, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Johann Rupert) actually corroborates this PR claim. In the case of the Noakes Foundation and Prof Noakes, certainly not!

Regardless of the scam's sources, The Noakes Foundation, its associates and I will continue to raise public awareness (via reportfakeendorsement.com and other channels) against fake celebrity endorsement ads. Such activism helps the general public develop zero trust in any "endorsements". These are NO endorsements from Professor Tim Noakes (or his associates at The Noakes Foundation, the Nutrition Network and Eat Better South Africa NPC). We will continue to research and advocate for social media platforms to take pro-active steps for preventing a decade long micro-fraud. It costs vulnerable South Africans millions of Rands each year, whilst also harming celebrities' reputations-and-wellbeing.