Man City and Foden seek legal counsel amid fake news attacks on his family.
Phil Foden and Rebecca Cooke sought legal assistance to remove fabricated posts and AI-generated images circulating on Facebook, including claims that their son Ronnie (6 years old) had died and their daughter True (4 years old) had cancer. Manchester City expressed shock and pledged their support.
Phil Foden and Rebecca Cooke have sought the intervention of a team of legal experts after a series of fake news stories on social media claimed their eldest son had died and their daughter had cancer. Manchester City expressed their shock and affirmed their continued full support for the English midfielder.
Fake news about Phil Foden's family spread from Facebook.
According to sources, the false information originated on Facebook with a post claiming that Ronnie, 6, Foden's eldest son, had passed away. More recently, the account "Man City Fan Lover" posted information that his daughter True, 4, had cancer – accompanied by an AI-generated image showing Foden and Rebecca Cooke crying together.
Foden – a father of three – enlisted the help of a team of legal experts to request the removal of fabricated articles and fake images that appeared on various platforms.
Response from Rebecca Cooke
Rebecca Cooke confirmed this on Instagram:“We know the pages and accounts spreading these stories. They are completely false and very disturbing… I don’t understand how people would make up stories about anyone, especially children. It’s truly appalling.”
Previously, Foden and Rebecca Cooke frequently shared happy photos on social media and received admiration from their fans.
Legal team gets involved, Manchester City supports
The widespread dissemination of fake articles and images caused Phil Foden's name to become a trending search term on social media and Google. This situation forced Foden and Cooke to seek legal assistance to protect their privacy and family honor.
Legal experts acknowledge that while social media platforms can remove posts, identifying and prosecuting the authors of fabricated content that significantly impacts personal privacy rights can lead to legal consequences.
Shortly afterwards, Manchester City expressed their support for the player: they stated they were shocked and horrified by the targeting of Foden's family and would continue to provide him with full support.
Impact and message
Phil Foden – one of the Premier League's leading stars – is facing an off-field legal battle as fake news targeting his children spreads. Foden and his family's move to hire lawyers to stop the false articles is not only to protect their privacy but also to send a clear message:"No one is allowed to exploit the family of a celebrity to spread fake news."