Creators cash in on AI-fabricated Nepal flood clips, exploiting disaster hype

When catastrophic flash floods struck Nepal in late August, authentic and fabricated videos appeared side by side on social media. A review identified an AI-generated clip showing floodwaters overtaking a road, while another misrepresented a Chinese helicopter film that was actually shot in Alaska. Platforms sometimes add AI notices, but these are easy to overlook.

According to one outlet, creators are paid about $100-$120 per million views, allowing a single viral disaster video to generate thousands of dollars and grow audiences. The lure of disaster content stems from research indicating that negative, emotionally charged posts are shared far more often than neutral ones. TikTok bans synthetic disaster media, yet the demand for fast, dramatic footage outpaces verified reporting, leaving users vulnerable to misinformation. Psychologists suggest that sharing such content is driven by attention, identity, and emotional impact rather than belief in its truth.