City Manager Targeted By Malicious AI Generated Meme

AI-Generated Meme Sparks Outrage and Debate

In a stark example of modern digital defamation, Newberry City Manager Jordan Marlowe recently took to Facebook to condemn a maliciously crafted meme. The image, generated by Artificial Intelligence, depicted him sharing a pizza with two notorious sex offenders: convicted local predator Joel Searby and the deceased international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The incident highlights the growing concern over the use of AI to create harmful and misleading content.

Manager Marlowe pictured in a video on his Facebook account

The meme's caption provocatively stated, “We asked ChatGPT to imagine how Jordan Marlowe and Joel Searby came up with their plan to take control of an elementary school, and this is what it gave us.” This caption directly links Marlowe to Searby, who was a prominent figure in the effort to convert Newberry Elementary School into a charter school before his arrest for grooming a minor. The inclusion of Jeffrey Epstein appears to be a calculated move to amplify the defamatory association, as Epstein had no connection to Newberry affairs.

Joel Searby's booking photo

Jeffrey Epstein's booking photo

A City Manager's Response and Public Reaction

Marlowe publicly denounced the image as “reprehensible” and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support he received from the community. In his Facebook statement, he affirmed his belief in the good of humanity, stating, “I will never let the worst examples of human behavior change my mind.”

Manager Marlowe's statement against the meme

While the majority of comments were supportive, the post also ignited a debate. One critic, Elizabeth Hauck, argued that Marlowe's choice to work with Searby on the charter school project, even without knowledge of his crimes, would forever “hang heavy over this topic.”

Marlowe countered by pointing out the double standard, referencing the Alachua County School Board's own associations and issues. He drew a parallel to the board's handling of sexual assault incidents at Santa Fe High School, where they were sued last year for allegedly mishandling incidents involving baseball coach Travis Yeckring.

Tracing the Meme's Origin

The AI-generated meme appears to have originated from a Facebook page called “Gainesville Non-Partisan Dank Meme Stash.” Although the original post has been removed, the page later posted a dismissive comment seemingly in response to the controversy, saying, “We are not sure why a photo of someone eating pizza with Anthony Bourdain is offensive.”

Gainesville Non-Partisan Dank Meme Stash appears to refer to Manager Marlowe as "some commissioner” in their statement.

This claim is a clear attempt at misdirection. While there might be a passing resemblance, the figure in the meme is unmistakably Jeffrey Epstein, not the late chef Anthony Bourdain.

Portraits of Anthony Bourdain (on left) and Jeffrey Epstein

The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the power of AI to fabricate reality and its potential for use in targeted political attacks, blurring the lines between satire and outright character assassination.

AI meme depicting Joel Searby, Manager Marlowe and Jeffrey Epstein eating pizza (The photo was provided by an individual who screenshotted as it appears to have been removed from social media).