AI-Generated “Infinite Facts” Page Spreading Fake Heartwarming Stories About Malta

A Facebook page purporting to share uplifting news about Malta has gained over 23,000 followers by posting largely fabricated stories designed to evoke emotional responses from readers.

The page, “Infinite Facts,” describes itself as a “Daily Update of Science and World Information” and publishes multiple posts daily featuring seemingly heartwarming tales of local heroism and kindness. Recent examples include stories about a Gozitan fisherman caring for injured seagulls, a stray dog guarding its former owner’s grave, and a café owner secretly leaving bread for the homeless.

However, investigation reveals that almost all these stories are completely fabricated, typically featuring AI-generated images or repurposed photographs accompanied by captions that appear to be written by artificial intelligence.

On February 1 alone, the page posted eight different fabricated stories. These included tales of a grieving father wandering Żabbar streets with his deceased son’s photo, a child hiking along Marsascala coast to visit a stray cat’s grave, and a Maltese scientist revolutionizing farming with a discovery allowing crops to extract nitrogen from air.

The content has grown increasingly outlandish over time. Earlier posts claimed Malta was introducing solar-powered pavements that charge pedestrians’ phones and described a dramatic mid-journey birth on a Malta-Gozo ferry.

What makes the page particularly problematic is its strategic mixing of fiction with fact. Alongside its fabricated content, “Infinite Facts” occasionally posts legitimate news stories that have been widely reported elsewhere, such as Bad Bunny’s Grammy victory or the reopening of Valletta’s Jesuit Church. This blend of truth and fiction makes it difficult for casual readers to distinguish between reliable information and fabrication.

The page also frequently features local celebrities in fictional scenarios to boost engagement. Posts have claimed former footballer Michael Mifsud funded life-saving surgery for a child, actress Marama Corlett paid for cancer treatments, and tenor Joseph Calleja regularly visits orphanages to offer mentorships and recitals.

According to Facebook records, the page originated in 2022 under the name “Beautiful lady” and was managed by users in the US and Pakistan. It remained largely inactive until April 2023, when it was renamed “Explore Malta” and began posting tourist photographs of Maltese landmarks.

In November, it rebranded as “Infinite Facts” and initially posted similar AI-generated content about countries worldwide before refocusing exclusively on Malta around Christmas, quickly accumulating its current following.

Unlike some AI-generated content on Maltese social media, “Infinite Facts” does not appear to be directly scamming users for money or pushing political agendas. Instead, it exhibits classic signs of “engagement farming” – a tactic used to artificially inflate a page’s metrics through emotionally provocative content.

Digital media experts note that such tactics can later be used in bait-and-switch scams, where popular pages suddenly pivot to promoting fraudulent investment schemes, leveraging their large followings to create an impression of legitimacy. This mirrors a trend seen in 2023 when Maltese Facebook groups were flooded with posts about injured dogs and abandoned children.

Some technology critics, including journalist Max Read, suggest that much AI-generated content exists simply to exploit Facebook’s algorithm and monetization structure. Facebook’s performance bonus program rewards pages for reach, shares, and comments, potentially incentivizing the creation of viral content regardless of its veracity.

“Infinite Facts” displays hallmark engagement farming techniques, including ending posts with questions to encourage reader interaction and responding to comments with further questions to extend conversations. The page administrators even respond to critical comments by deflecting or partially acknowledging concerns while attempting to continue the dialogue.

Attempts to contact the page administrators through both the listed Gmail address (which returns bounce-back messages) and Facebook Messenger have been unsuccessful. The page follows only five other Facebook pages, several of which post similar AI-generated content to millions of followers, while others appear to be dormant shell pages waiting for potential future use.