Missing Gus Lamont's Case Fueled by AI Images and Fake Claims

The police haven't found any evidence related to Gus's disappearance | Misbar

Four-year-old Gus Lamont disappeared from his family’s remote sheep station in South Australia on September 27, 2025. He was last seen by family playing outside the Oak Park Station homestead. When his grandmother returned half an hour later, Gus was gone. A massive search ensued — involving hundreds of police, State Emergency Service volunteers, Australian Defence Force soldiers, drones, trackers, and community members — but found only one stray footprint, later ruled out, and no other trace of the boy.

Amid the Gus Lamont search, AI-generated images and false claims began circulating online as purported “leads.”

Misinformation Circulates Over Gus Lamont’s Disappearance

The misinformation spread almost entirely via Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram. One viral post claimed that a soaked backpack had been found in the outback, sparking a “major breakthrough.”

Another claimed that a Minions T-shirt, supposedly matching the one Gus wore before disappearing, had been discovered.

Another image that went viral claimed to show bloodstains and a body part allegedly discovered by searchers.

A post of August Lamont in the arms of an unknown man has also gone viral online, with social media users believing he had been kidnapped.

Among the previous claims, this image could be noticed to be AI-generated, as the man seems to have an unnatural gap between his middle and index fingers.

Police Debunk Viral Claims Regarding Gus Lamont

All previous claims are fake. The police say they haven't found any physical evidence related to Gus's disappearance. A statement published by South Australia Police Safer Communities (SAPOL) on October 7 clarified that “no trace of Gus has been located. No tangible pieces of evidence, such as footprints, a hat, or clothing, have been located to identify any direction of travel to assist searchers.”

The police clarified that they were confident of doing all they could to locate the boy within the search area.

The police announced that the investigation into Lamont’s disappearance will be managed by the Missing Persons Investigation Section, a standard practice for all long-term cases.

SA Police Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott has urged the public to stop speculating online and stick to verified updates. “There’s no evidence of foul play,” he said. “We believe Gus simply wandered off.”

Facebook And Instagram Contribute to Misinformation in Lamont’s Case

The Australian commercial broadcast outlet, 7News, reported that even Facebook’s own AI tools compounded the problem. Facebook’s AI-powered search feature was giving users false “news” results about Gus – for example, erroneously claiming a bloodstained toy had been found or that Gus himself had been located alive.

In 2023, a study by the Yale School of Management found that the system of social media platforms is what inadvertently encourages users to spread misinformation.

By consistently rewarding all kinds of sharing through likes and comments, social media platforms have cultivated habitual users who rarely consider the accuracy of what they post. Research shows that these users are responsible for spreading a disproportionate amount of misinformation.

By consistently rewarding all kinds of sharing through likes and comments, social media platforms have cultivated habitual users who rarely consider the accuracy of what they post.