The sci‑fi icon blasted a rogue Facebook page for pushing AI‑generated stories falsely claiming he was dying, calling the ordeal “the downside of AI and yellow journalism.”
William Shatner is setting the record straight after a disturbing wave of AI‑generated hoaxes claimed the Star Trek legend was battling terminal illness.
The 95‑year‑old actor took to X on April 2 to warn fans about the false stories, explaining that he deliberately avoided posting the day before because he didn’t want the message mistaken for an April Fool’s prank.
Shatner said the source of the misinformation was a Facebook page called Beanstalk Functions, which presents itself as a South African event‑planning group but has allegedly been using AI tools to fabricate sensational stories about him.
In his lengthy post, he laid out exactly what had been happening: “I wanted to put this out yesterday but given the day and the possibility that it would look like a joke I waited for today.
There is a page on @facebook that is using AI to create horrible fake news stories about me. The page is by The Beanstalk Functions Group which is allegedly an Event Planner in South Africa. (facebook.com/beanstalkfunct…)
They have created stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer, was in some kind of fight with Erika Kirk and that I’m dying.
All their stories are monetized. Most of the stories use an AI image of me. Facebook Support will not remove the page. (sic)”
He continued: Each story is accompanied by a website link in the post that is hosted on @nextjs where some of you may have seen my post to the CEO of that company asking him to remove these fake stories.
None of these stories are true but they apparently seem genuine enough for fans to repost them across social media and send messages of support to me and my family all while the culprits behind the account make money.
This is the downside of AI and yellow journalism.
While can be a wonderful tool in the right hands; it can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands.
If you see a bizarre story about me; unless you see it posted on one of my verified accounts take it with a grain of salt.”
To reassure fans, Shatner included a new photo taken by his daughter, explaining that even his own family had been rattled by the rumours.
He followed up with another post describing how the hoax had reached his granddaughter:
“My Daughter came over to tell me her daughter heard that I had brain cancer.
She took this photo and sent it to me to upload to prove I’m not ill.
The people who are ill are those that are spreading these ridiculous stories.
I’m fit as a fiddle.
You don’t have to worry.”
Star Trek legend slams AI hoax after fake cancer rumours spread online
