Share this @internewscast.com


To many, he’s an Aboriginal man building an online following – yet he belongs to no nation.
He has no biological descent and is not recognised or claimed by any Aboriginal community. No one knows his family: no mob, no Elders, no aunties, uncles or cousins.
His name is ‘Jarren’ — no last name, no lineage.

The character known as ‘Jarren’ has sparked conversation due to its nature as an entirely AI-generated portrayal of an Aboriginal man, raising concerns over authenticity and representation.

‘Jarren’ is the creation of Keagan John Mason – a South African content creator based in New Zealand, who some say is blurring the lines between AI and human appropriation, while others are calling it ‘digital blackface.’
Across social media, Mason has created various social pages named ‘Bush Legend: Wildlife Stories and Facts’, pages he describes as ‘digitally created for education & awareness.’
The pages feature interactions with and facts on various native fauna from Australia, including birds, reptiles and mammals.
The fictional ‘Jarren’ is the presenter and star of these ‘educational’ videos.
‘Jarren’ (and Mason) encourage viewers to subscribe to the various Bush Legend pages.
“When you subscribe, you’re directly supporting my journey and helping me keep creating daily content,” Mason writes.
“Your support lets me spend more time doing this full time, researching, and bringing these Aussie animal stories to life.
Bush Legend has gained almost 200,000 followers on its various social pages – 92,000 on Facebook, 89,000 on Instagram and 25,000 on TikTok – with many followers believing that ‘Jarren’ is real.

“He’s a natural,” remarked one observer after viewing a video featuring the digital creation.

Corey Tutt OAM, a proud Kamilaroi individual and a notable figure in STEM as the founder of Deadly Science, has expressed his unease about AI’s attempt to mimic cultural knowledge and real-life experiences. He believes this trend poses significant issues.

Bush Legend appears to have originally started as a satirical news channel called Nec Minnit News, purporting to be an NZ/Australian news channel.
Videos featuring ‘Jarren’ first started to appear in December last year, with the page quickly growing in popularity to 15,000 followers.
On his page descriptions, Mason notes that his pages use ‘AI-generated visuals to share wildlife stories for education.’
But while Bush Legend and ‘Jarren’s’ popularity is growing, so are the criticisms.

“This approach sends the wrong message,” Tutt stated, emphasizing that both adults and children should understand that wild animals are not docile creatures to be casually interacted with. “These interactions should be left to the experts,” he advised.

“More troubling still is the use of AI-generated images that resemble deceased people, where the technology searches for and recreates a likeness.”
“We are also seeing a rise in non-Indigenous organisations, often dressed in black-clad branding, using AI to manufacture cultural legitimacy,” the former NSW Young Australian of the Year said.
Damian ‘Wildman’ Duffy, a non-Indigenous wildlife enthusiast and nature guide who lives on Larrakia Country, has called out the Bush Legend’s pages to his 1.4million followers.
“It’s a white bloke using a completely fictional digital version of an Indigenous man, often painted up in ceremonial paint, to create fake wildlife content and make money,” he told NITV.
“In fact, everything you see on that page is AI. All of it. The character. The wildlife. The interactions. None of it is real.”
Duffy has also raised serious safety concerns, warning the content may encourage the public to interact with extremely dangerous and highly venomous wildlife.

In response to the Mason’s deployment of AI, audiences and social media users are urging individuals to seek out authentic wildlife and adventure content from real-life creators, Indigenous Rangers, or Aboriginal community-run social media platforms.

Dr Terri Janke – a Wuthathi, Yadhaigana and Meriam lawyer and international authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), says AI can pose real risks to First Nations people, from cultural misappropriation and exploitation, to economic loss and the perpetuation of harmful or inaccurate representations.
“It takes space from real First Nations voices. It would be empowering to see real Indigenous rangers, not digital stand-ins,” she told NITV.
“Learning about Country and culture should be affirming, but when Aboriginal identity is simulated through AI without cultural respect and protocol, it becomes another way culture is taken, repackaged and exploited for attention and profit.”
Janke has previously emphasised that AI has “no Dreaming, no kinship, no connection to Country or cultural obligation.”
Because of that, AI can’t respect who is permitted to share certain stories, images or language — meaning it can misrepresent sacred knowledge and disrespect cultural law.
In response the growing criticisms, Bush Legend creator Keagan Mason has digitally prompted ‘Jarren’ to address those comments.
“I’m not here to represent any culture or group and this channel is simply about animal stories,” ‘Jarren’ says in one of the last videos.
“If this isn’t your thing – no worries – scroll and move on,” he says.

In calling out the Mason’s use of AI, viewers and social media users are encouraging people to follow real life wildlife and adventure content creators or Indigenous Rangers or Aboriginal community social media pages.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

NATO Troop Deployment to Greenland Escalates Amid Ongoing US Diplomatic Rift

More NATO troops are heading to Greenland, the Arctic island’s deputy prime…

Adelaide Festival Revokes Previous Statement on Randa Abdel-Fattah, Extends Invitation to Upcoming Writers’ Week

One of Australia’s top literary festivals has issued a fresh apology and…

Tragic Train Derailment in Thailand: Crane Collapse Claims 32 Lives – A Comprehensive Report

A ‍train has derailed in northeastern Thailand after a construction crane fell…

Trump Announces Decrease in Violence in Iran Amid US Troop Withdrawal from Middle East

The United States is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle…
Wye River flooding

Urgent Alert: Flash Floods Threaten Popular Victorian Holiday Destination

A man has been rescued from a roof and dozens of cars…

Australia’s Passport Strength Unveiled in Latest Global Rankings

The world’s most powerful passports have been revealed in new rankings, showing…
NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 capsule

Historic NASA Medical Evacuation: Ailing Astronaut Safely Returns to Earth for Urgent Care

An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday, ending…
Determined woman reviewing job opportunities online

Job Stability Reigns: Why Most Australians Are Choosing Career Consistency in 2023

The “Great Resignation” era is coming to an end and workers are…
The bombs have been found on the side of the road in Belconnen.

Canberra Streets on High Alert: Police Discover 11 Hazardous Pipe Bombs, Urge Public Caution

Police have found almost a dozen “dangerous” pipe bombs on the street…
Trump claims Iran has 'no plans' for executing protesters as US weighs strikes

Trump Denies Iran’s Execution Plans Amid US Strike Deliberations: Uncover the Truth

US President Donald Trump claims Iran has halted plans for executing detained…
Flooding in Clermont in central Queensland

Queensland Flood Relief Boost: $26 Million Funding Injection to Aid Recovery Efforts

An extra $26 million in disaster recovery funding will be allocated to…

Brace for a Rainy Week: Intense Storms Expected to Drench Eastern Australia

A dramatic change in the weather pattern is set to bring widespread…