AI-crafted fake school story nets creator thousands on Facebook

Mississippi-based digital creator Kvontay Devon Pringle, who operates under the alias Zaya Velour, posted an AI-generated picture of a boy called “Kevin” dressed in a pleated skirt, alleging the child was expelled for inappropriate attire. The fabricated narrative went viral on Facebook, collecting over eight million views and prompting widespread debate about school dress codes and gender expression. Pringle admitted the entire piece was assembled in roughly ten minutes and that Meta’s ad system has so far paid him about $2,800 for the single post, while his network of five Facebook pages can each bring in as much as $17,000 monthly.

Though he labels his work as comedic storytelling rather than “rage bait,” he acknowledges deriving satisfaction from stirring intense online reactions. The creator has shifted from running a carpet-cleaning business to full-time digital storytelling, now mentoring close to a hundred aspiring creators through the Skool education platform. He recently added an AI disclaimer to the skirt story, though critics argue the delay undermines transparency.