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An AI-generated video, depicting a surreal scene of predominantly Black youths, clad in balaclavas and padded jackets, sliding down a water chute into a murky, litter-strewn pool, has gone viral. This fabricated spectacle, falsely presented as a taxpayer-funded water park in Croydon, is merely one example of a burgeoning trend of AI-generated content flooding social media platforms. These deepfakes, often depicting absurd scenarios of urban decay, frequently target the same South London borough, with dozens of imitator accounts collectively amassing millions of views on TikTok and Instagram Reels. This phenomenon is part of a wider narrative, perpetuated by online influencers and content creators, that paints Western cities like London, Manchester, San Francisco, and New York as being overwhelmed by immigration and rampant crime. This genre, often dubbed "decline porn," disseminates exaggerated or entirely fabricated narratives, sometimes with overt satirical intent, that nonetheless fuel anger and racist backlash among viewers who perceive them as factual.
The BBC, through its podcast "Top Comment," has investigated the origins of these AI-generated Croydon videos, uncovering a new breed of online manipulator who prioritizes engagement above all else, dismissing any responsibility for the divisive political narratives their content can inadvertently amplify. The shame associated with creating and disseminating fabricated content appears to have evaporated entirely from the online landscape.
The creator behind these videos, operating under the online handle RadialB, claims he never anticipated his content would inspire copycats or possess political ramifications. He asserts his work is intended to be humorous, yet simultaneously aims to imbue his fictional scenes with an air of authenticity to capture audience attention. "If people saw it and they immediately knew it was fake, then they would just scroll. The selling point of generative AI models is that they look real," RadialB explains during a phone interview. He prefers to remain anonymous but reveals he is in his twenties, hails from the North West of England, and has never visited Croydon.
RadialB describes the creation of AI-generated water parks, zoos, and aquariums in Croydon as a natural progression towards increasingly humorous and absurd content. Several of his videos, he notes, achieved significant traction due to their graphic nature, showing individuals being propelled off slides. He characterizes the young men featured in his videos as "roadmen," a slang term for urban youth often associated with drug dealing, and describes them as "cultural archetypes" he frequently employs. He claims one video depicting "roadmen" in Parliament garnered eight million views in a single day.
When questioned about the racist reactions his videos sometimes elicit in the comments section, RadialB acknowledges, "I don’t deny it," but points to content moderation policies, stating that social media platforms actively remove racist remarks. TikTok, Instagram, and X all maintain policies prohibiting racist abuse. RadialB insists that when generating AI content, he does not intend to portray individuals of a specific race or ethnicity, instead opting for prompts like "roadmen wearing puffer jackets, track suits, and balaclavas" because they produce the "funniest" characters.
Despite his disavowal of political intent, his videos often present absurd "taxpayer-funded" facilities. He expresses a critical view of English politics, calling it a "parasitic cesspit" and suggesting that "we replace them all with roadmen." While some videos bear small disclaimers indicating they are "AI-generated" or contain "synthetic media," adhering to platform policies, some viewers have reported being genuinely convinced by the fabricated content. RadialB concedes that his videos provoke political responses, noting the presence of "50-year-olds and 60-year-olds in the comments raging and saying all this political stuff," though he suggests some of these comments are made ironically.
Other users have voiced objections to this proliferation of AI-generated "slop videos," arguing they perpetuate unfair racial stereotypes of their neighborhoods. C.Tino, a Black TikTok user from Croydon, posted a response video, asserting that the trend falsely portrays the area as "ghetto." He lamented, "These videos are making people think this is real life. It’s becoming out of hand now."
RadialB attributes his ability to produce this content to the "huge jump" in the quality and accessibility of AI tools, which he states "hugely lowers the barrier for entry" for anyone wishing to create "fake stuff." He believes many accounts re-sharing his posts are motivated by the pursuit of views and clicks, aiming to monetize the content on other platforms like Facebook. Users from as far afield as Israel and Brazil have shared his videos, citing the desire for "engagement" or to "join in on the trend." Several accounts posting in Arabic, seemingly based in the Middle East, have also shared numerous videos depicting the decline of London, including those set in Croydon. The BBC has also identified several TikTok profiles purporting to be British news accounts that exclusively share AI-generated videos about London or other negative content concerning UK and US cities.
These deepfakes align with an existing trend of videos portraying European and American cities as succumbing to urban decay due to crime and immigration. While some of these videos may highlight real instances of phone-snatching, homelessness, graffiti, or drug-related issues, they often omit broader context. Increasingly, however, AI is being employed to distort reality.
South African YouTuber Kurt Caz, who has amassed over four million subscribers with travel videos featuring sensational titles like "Attacked by thieves in Barcelona!" and "Threatened in the UK’s worst town!", recently faced accusations of using AI to doctor a thumbnail for a video titled "Avoid this place in London." The thumbnail depicted a cyclist wearing a balaclava, in front of shop signs appearing to be in Arabic, aiming to bolster his portrayal of London as one of "the most messed up cities" he has encountered. However, in the actual video, the shop signs on Croydon’s North End are in English, the cyclist is unmasked, and Caz is shown giving him a thumbs-up after a friendly interaction. On X, Kurt Caz dismissed criticism of the thumbnail as "clickbait," stating, "if you’re going to do a hit piece on me do it properly."
The narrative of British and European decline has also been amplified by high-profile figures, including Elon Musk, owner of X, Tesla, and SpaceX. Musk, who spoke at a rally organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson last year, has frequently posted about this topic on his X profile, which boasts over 230 million followers. He stated, "What I see happening is a destruction of Britain. Initially a slow erosion, but a rapidly increasing erosion of Britain with massive uncontrolled migration." While legitimate discussions about immigration and crime are crucial, a significant portion of this content deviates from verifiable evidence.
In January, pollster YouGov released data indicating that a majority of Britons perceive London as unsafe. However, only a third of those surveyed within the capital shared this view, with 81% reporting their own local areas as safe. Despite this, RadialB maintains that his intention was not to become a "decline porn" influencer, but rather to entertain audiences with a form of "artform" that exploits recommendation algorithms. He appears to absolve himself of responsibility for how his content might be utilized or replicated. His TikTok account was reportedly banned for sharing graphic or inappropriate content, yet he has since established a new account featuring similar videos, showcasing "roadmen" at dilapidated "infinity pools" and "taxpayer-funded buffets."
Nakalama John
George Anjay
