YourNNY Your Source for News & Sports in Northern New York

The Blockbuster film Forrest Gump. One of the main characters in that story is the city of Savannah, coastal Georgia and the low country. Most of the scenes are filmed in the Beaufort area into the hearts of millions of people. The star of the show happens to be the backdrop, you know, the natural beauty. The movie portrays not just the beauty but also the charm of this area. We don’t actually have that many scenes, but the scenes that are Savannah in that movie are absolutely iconic. They’re very much something that Savan ands can relate to because um all of us will still sit on the bench and just sort of watch the world go by and people watch. It’s *** very Savannah thing. It’s those iconic scenes that have attracted visitors from all over. You still see people talking about asking where Jenny is asking where her restaurant is. You know, where can we find this? I think every tour where it’s *** carriage ride or *** golf cart tour or even *** walking tour, they’re gonna spend time telling the stories of Forrest Gump and what the impact of it, whether it’s the bridge or *** restaurant or his favorite box of chocolates. You’re gonna see that here in the local tours in Buford. They even had special Forest Gump appearances at certain events. Every shrimp festival is gonna have *** Forrest Gump impersonator show up and, and mingle about the crowd or you’re gonna see it in the five K 10 Ks events. Uh, kind of like our Run Forest Run event that takes place during shrimp festival. Some beef root restaurants even offer Forrest Gump themed menu items. It’s in recipes and on menu items. You’re gonna see Forest’s Gumbo which is *** shout out to Bubba and his affinity to, to shrimp. And you’re also gonna see uh you know, Janie’s cocktails in Savannah when the movie debuted, the city had 5 million visitors in 2022. It was 22 million. So it’s clear even after 30 years, the story of Forrest Gump is still having *** powerful impact on the local economy. Tourism is still the number one output. Um for this community, it has been for *** long time with $4.4 billion worth of spending last year. And if we look at where that came from, you can probably ask Forrest Gump Brooke Butler, WJCL 22 News.

Tom Hanks warns against deceptive AI ads with his image: ‘Do not be fooled’

Tom Hanks is issuing a warning to his followers on social media to be weary of advertisements using his likeness that he says were created “fraudulently and through AI.”Related video above: Forrest Gump’s lasting impact on Georgia, 30 years later”There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs,” Hanks wrote on his Instagram page Thursday. “These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI.”He added that he has “nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures.”Hanks, who has openly talked about living with type 2 diabetes, acknowledged that he only works “with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment.””Do not be fooled. Do not be swindled. Do not lose your hard earned money,” he wrote.Hanks is among many celebrities, including Drake, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, to name a few, whose name and likeness have been falsely used in AI-generated images, songs, political endorsements or advertisements posted online.Several state and federal legislators have recently launched or pushed for expanded protections against the misuse of individual identities in the digital era.The state of Tennessee recently enacted a law aimed at protecting people from unauthorized use of content that mimics their image or voice called The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, which went into effect last month.

Tom Hanks is issuing a warning to his followers on social media to be weary of advertisements using his likeness that he says were created “fraudulently and through AI.”

Related video above: Forrest Gump’s lasting impact on Georgia, 30 years later

“There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs,” Hanks wrote on his Instagram page Thursday. “These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI.”

He added that he has “nothing to do with these posts or the products and treatments, or the spokespeople touting these cures.”

Hanks, who has openly talked about living with type 2 diabetes, acknowledged that he only works “with my board certified doctor regarding my treatment.”

“Do not be fooled. Do not be swindled. Do not lose your hard earned money,” he wrote.

Hanks is among many celebrities, including Drake, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, to name a few, whose name and likeness have been falsely used in AI-generated images, songs, political endorsements or advertisements posted online.

Several state and federal legislators have recently launched or pushed for expanded protections against the misuse of individual identities in the digital era.

The state of Tennessee recently enacted a law aimed at protecting people from unauthorized use of content that mimics their image or voice called The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, or ELVIS Act, which went into effect last month.