A new gay dating app called Goose is facing accusations of using AI-generated influencers and fake accounts to promote its launch, raising concerns about deceptive marketing practices.
The app, which aims to connect gay men for friendships and relationships with the slogan "for the boys," launched last week and quickly climbed the App Store charts. However, promotional efforts appear to have relied heavily on seemingly fake Instagram accounts, many of which feature profile pictures identified as AI-generated by multiple detection tools. These accounts, often created recently with minimal posts, have been reaching out to potential users via direct messages and Instagram's "Close Friends" stories, offering invite codes to the app.
Users like marketing professional Ryan Cheam reported receiving DMs from accounts that appeared legitimate at first glance, only to discover their profile images were likely AI-created. Similarly, Dalton Bauer noted receiving identical messages from multiple new accounts. This pattern suggests a coordinated campaign using inauthentic personas to generate interest and downloads.
The app was co-founded by Derek Chadwick and David Aliagas, who previously managed growth for BeReal. While Goose positions itself as an alternative to apps like Grindr for building lasting connections, early reactions questioned its ability to avoid catering to casual hookups. Despite skepticism, the app's strong performance in app store rankings indicates the promotional strategy, however questionable, has been effective in attracting users.
Co-founder David Aliagas has posted job listings for social media "ambassadors" to manage unspecified accounts for his new app, with compensation ranging from $1,800 to $2,100 per month. These listings, still available in his Instagram story highlights, suggest a deliberate effort to scale up social media management, potentially including the creation and operation of these influencer-like accounts. One post even mentioned purchasing "finstas" (fake Instagram accounts) for $100.
Experts warn that such practices may violate FTC guidelines against deceptive advertising, which prohibit brands from using AI to impersonate real individuals. New York also has a law requiring disclosure of AI-generated content. While Meta, the owner of Instagram, has policies against unlabelled AI content, the private nature of DMs and "Close Friends" stories makes enforcement challenging. Users like Cheam express discomfort with the methods, stating, "the need to essentially bait gay guys into signing up feels really sketchy."
