Ghost creators are online personas that make social media accounts appear as independent news or commentary channels. In reality, real people appear on camera, reading scripts that seem to be generated or AI-assisted. Semafor and Riddance AI uncovered a network of such channels that predominantly target Democratic politicians with sensationalised political content.
Riddance AI identified more than a dozen connected YouTube channels and said the network had amassed more than 45 million views and 90,000 comments by mid-August 2026. Researchers found shared music, websites, account links, and repeated script segments, and concluded that the accounts were likely connected. The team also found a TikTok clipping network in which dozens of accounts circulated video clips.
