False claims about Aboriginal rock art and aliens were once fringe. Researchers fear AI could push them mainstream
News Source
β’Mon, 28 Sep 2026 15:00:38 GMT
π° What Happened
Researchers have studied how false claims about ancient Aboriginal rock art are spreading online. The art sits in Western Australia's Kimberley region and is around 12,000 years old. Some social media accounts say aliens or a lost civilisation painted it. These accounts have tens of thousands of followers.
Traditional owner Warren Barunga says he is angry that people misuse his people's sacred paintings. The Gwion Gwion and Wandjina figures matter deeply to Aboriginal culture. A new paper in Australian Archaeology warns that AI summaries could repeat the false claims as if they were facts.
π The Backstory
Stories linking the rock art to aliens are not new. They began in the 19th century, when writers claimed a 'superior race' made the paintings. These ideas ignored Aboriginal people and were racist. For a long time they stayed on the fringe.
Social media has now pushed the claims to a much bigger audience. Researchers say AI chatbots and search summaries can repeat these myths in plain language. That makes old false claims look like real facts.
π― Why It Matters
The rock art is real Aboriginal heritage, not alien work. These false stories erase Indigenous history and spread racist ideas. AI can make them seem true, so people should check where information comes from.
Researchers have studied how false claims about ancient Aboriginal rock art are spreading online. The art sits in Western Australia's Kimberley region and is around 12,000 years old. Some social media accounts say aliens or a lost civilisation painted it. These accounts have tens of thousands of followers.
Traditional owner Warren Barunga says he is angry that people misuse his people's sacred paintings. The Gwion Gwion and Wandjina figures matter deeply to Aboriginal culture. A new paper in Australian Archaeology warns that AI summaries could repeat the false claims as if they were facts.
Stories linking the rock art to aliens are not new. They began in the 19th century, when writers claimed a 'superior race' made the paintings. These ideas ignored Aboriginal people and were racist. For a long time they stayed on the fringe.
Social media has now pushed the claims to a much bigger audience. Researchers say AI chatbots and search summaries can repeat these myths in plain language. That makes old false claims look like real facts.
The rock art is real Aboriginal heritage, not alien work. These false stories erase Indigenous history and spread racist ideas. AI can make them seem true, so people should check where information comes from.