Various media outlets such as Zee News, News18 Madhya Pradesh and Times Now Navbharat shared a visual which shows a gray plume of smoke rising from what appears to be a fenced lawn. The video is viral with the claim that it shows an explosion near the Pentagon, the United States Department of Defense headquarters in Washington, USA.
Claim:
The viral visual shows a white building in the background with a plume of smoke arising from a fenced lawn area. The visual was shared by Times Now Navbharat, Zee News, News18 Madhya Pradesh, with the claim that it shows an explosion outside the Pentagon.
Fact Check:
First we conducted a keyword search for an explosion near the Pentagon. However, we could not come across any credible report of an explosion near the Pentagon.
We observed the image closely and noted that there were discrepancies in how the fences appeared. A distortion effect was present on the fences leading them to appear crooked in odd placees.
We noticed several discrepancies near the barrier, fence and the street lamp outside the building. Near the lamp, the fence appeared distorted and the lamp itself had a superimposed distortion effect placed on it.
After noticing these distortions, we conducted another keyword search which led us to a report by Forbes title, ‘Fake Image Of Explosion Near Pentagon Went Viral—Even Though It Never Happened’ published on May 22, 2023.
The Forbes report quoted a Department of Defense spokesperson who confirmed to website the viral news is a piece of “misinformation.”
“The source of the image has not been determined, though it comes as remarkably lifelike AI-generated “deepfakes” make a splash online, including a series on Pope Francis wearing a Balenciaga coat, as well as AI-generated renderings of famous artwork like Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” and realistic viral images of former President Donald Trump resisting authorities during a fake arrest,” read the Forbes report.
We also came across a tweet by the verified Twitter handle of Arlington Fire and EMS Department who tweeted: “There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.”
Conclusion:
We found that the viral visual is more than likely the creation of artificial intelligence. US authorities and media reports have denied the claims of an attack on the Pentagon. Thus, the viral visuals are morphed media.
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https://thelogicalindian.com/h-upload/2023/05/24/500x300_231740-new-project-2023-05-24t123741224.webp
Fact Check
2023-05-24 09:35:47.0
Zee News, Times Now Navbharat Circulate AI-Generated Image Of Explosion Near Pentagon As Real
