Truth or Fake
FRANCE 24 English
Truth or Fake is a fact-checking rendez-vous in association with the FRANCE 24 Observers. Our content focuses on false images circulating online and how to identify them. Monday to Thursday at 8:45pm and 10:20pm Paris time.
Episodes
23 episodesFake AI images of protester go viral after woman punched at Trump's Ohio rally
A protester who heckled Donald Trump at his midterm rally in Youngstown, Ohio, was physically assaulted and removed from the event, but fake AI-generated photos recreating the incident are going viral online. The images carry digital watermarks identifying them as AI-generated. While footage confirms the woman was punched, there is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that the protester was "paid" to disrupt his speech, as he mocked the protester's weight. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
Trump sparks outrage over AI tiger video after sharing footage of fatal UK attack
US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage after sharing the distressing footage of a 23-year-old man with mental illness being fatally mauled by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK, captioned "Don't ever mess with nature!" This was followed hours later by an AI-generated video of himself taming a tiger. The posts have been condemned as disrespectful to the victim and his grieving family, who have urged people to stop sharing harrowing content of the attack. Vedika Bahl tells us more.
Have Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centres hit Russian online disinformation?
After recent Ukrainian bombings of Russian data centres belonging to Yandex, internet users claim to have noticed a sharp reduction in pro-Russian and far-right populist social media content. They suggest the reduction is a direct result of the strikes cutting off Russian disinformation "bots". We examine the claim in this edition of Truth or Fake.
No, these pictures do not show the Houthi attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport
As Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport suffers a string of deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, a slew of AI-generated or decontextualised videos and photos have been circulating on social media, purporting to show the strikes of the last few days. We take a closer look in Truth or Fake.
No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students
France's student protests have sparked a wave of misleading content online. A viral TikTok falsely claimed the French army had deployed an armoured vehicle against protesters, when it was actually returning to a nearby military base. Other posts recycle 2023 footage of retirement protests as current events, while an AI-generated image was falsely presented as showing a police officer being attacked. Vedika Bahl examines how old, out-of-context and AI-generated content is fuelling misinformation.
White House promotes 'Trump TV' with AI-altered photo
The White House has promoted "Trump TV" using an AI-altered photo of passengers apparently watching the president's new streaming channel. But the image was originally posted online in February 2023, showing passengers watching the NFL Super Bowl, with one watching the film "Hitch". The original photo was modified using AI to make it appear as if the passengers were watching Trump TV. The post did not discalose that the image had been altered. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
Russian lab worker's death sparks plague fears as unverified claims spread online
The death of a 28-year-old Russian lab worker at Siberia's Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute has sparked online panic about a "plague, despite the WHO assessing the public health risk in Russia as low. Unverified claims about how the worker became ill, including a laboratory accident involving a test tube, are circulating online. Misleading posts and out-of-context videos have also fuelled speculation and fear. Vedika Bahl goes through them, and what we know, in Truth or Fake.
'France has fallen': Far-right figures fuel Islamophobic claims with false student protest videos
France's student protests have become the target of a wave of false and misleading videos shared by far-right figures, including Alex Jones and Tommy Robinson. Old footage and unrelated videos have been shared to portray the demonstrations as evidence of an "anti-white" or Islamist uprising linked to uncontrolled immigration. But the protests are over school conditions, including large class sizes, teacher shortages and poor facilities, not immigration. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
AI deepfake of BBC report falsely links Indians to FlyDubai hijacking attempt
False videos are circulating after the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv. One fake "BBC" report falsely claims an Indian passenger was behind the incident and links him to the stabbed pilot, Smit Machchhar. The video though, is an AI-generated deepfake: the BBC never broadcast it, and its footage and audio were doctored. A second clip was also misrepresented and filmed in Dubai, not over where the incident occurred. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
Meet 'America': Trump's AI chatbot changes answers after challenging his claims
US President Donald Trump has launched "America", an AI chatbot designed as a digital portal for US government information. But its responses appear to be changing. The chatbot initially challenged several of Trump's claims, including on the 2020 election and inflation, providing evidence and links. More recently, it has refused to answer some of the same questions. Other responses still contradict Trump, while some echo his views. Vedika Bahl tests the chatbot and its varying answers in Truth or Fake.
Public service announcement or Trump propaganda?
The White House calls them public service announcements, like those used in past administrations. But almost everyone else doesn't agree, with three taxpayer-funded advertisements that glorify US President Donald Trump drawing criticism from across the partisan divide. Legal experts say the ads violate federal laws on government propaganda, as FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell explains in this edition of Truth or Fake.
RAF Fairford: AI-enhanced photos of suspects fuel false claims about their religion
Five men arrested over a suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford have been released on bail as investigations continue. Meanwhile, AI-enhanced images purporting to show their faces have gone viral, with some users claiming this "proves" the men are Muslim. SynthID confirms the sharpened images were created using OpenAI tools, meaning the AI has suggested different facial features. UK police have not disclosed any names or religion, only that the men are all British nationals. Vedika Bahl explains.
'Send in the Clowns': Viral video fuels claims Denmark trolled Trump and Rubio
A viral video claims Danish officials played Judy Collins's "Send in the Clowns" as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived for a Greenland signing ceremony, sparking claims of Danish "trolling". Our checks of separate livestreams confirm the song really played and the video was not manipulated. Denmark has denied choosing the music, while the UN says it did not organise the event. Whilst the song was real, there is no evidence Denmark selected it deliberately. Vedika Bahl fact-checks.
Fact-checking Trump's speech at the United Nations General Assembly
Donald Trump's UN address was packed with claims that are misleading, false or exaggerated. He said the US has more munitions than it could ever use, despite reports of depleting stocks. He also claimed the US and Venezuela hold 60 percent of the world's oil, despite the numbers not adding up, and he said he had ended the war in Gaza despite ongoing Israeli strikes and deaths since last year's ceasefire. Vedika Bahl fact-checks the speech in Truth or Fake.
Viral NATO video falsely framed as 'war propaganda' against Russia
A viral NATO video is being falsely framed online as "war propaganda", with users accusing the Alliance of sharing a "promotional video" designed to prepare the public for imminent war with Russia. But the footage is not new: NATO published it in July 2024 for its 75th anniversary, and it's been stripped of its original context. The claim comes as European leaders warn of growing Russian hybrid threats, including alleged drone, cyber and sabotage activity. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
Ed Sheeran hit by viral false claims after Macklemore controversy
Ed Sheeran's controversial US tour has sparked a wave of viral rumours. A false claim that his music was removed from Spotify racked up more than 3 million views on X, despite his music remaining available. Another video, viewed over 14 million times, falsely suggested Sheeran was now defiantly performing solo after all his support acts withdrew. But not only is the footage dated, Sheeran has in fact replaced the backing musicians. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
US Midterms: Russian disinformation campaign targets Democrats
With US midterm elections now less than two months away, a series of videos have surfaced online, featuring celebrities seemingly denouncing the Democrats. However, the clips are fake, and were created using AI, as FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hughes explains.
Viral Putin, Modi and Xi selfie at BRICS summit is AI-generated
A viral selfie allegedly showing leaders including, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra at the BRICS summit in New Delhi is AI-generated. A SynthID watermark shows it was created using OpenAI tools. Several leaders pictured, including Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, did not attend. Another AI selfie features former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in 2024. Both images were widely shared online, including by official embassy accounts. Vedika Bahl fact-checks.
Yemen: Fact-checking videos claiming to show Houthi rebel attacks
A video claiming to show Houthi rebels ambushing Saudi-backed mercenaries has racked up major views on X. But the FRANCE 24 Observers found it is actually footage of 2024 Houthi military drills. The clip was edited with football commentary and blurred flags, which originally show Israel, the UK and US, not Saudi Arabia. Other viral videos falsely linked to Houthi attacks on a Saudi Aramco refinery were also traced to unrelated fires in Texas and Russia. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
Meta tests out putting fact-checking in users’ hands across Latin America
Meta is expanding its shift away from professional fact-checking. The tech giant announced it's trialling it's crowdsourced "Community Notes" system across 16 countries in Latin America. Meta says the system will only fully roll out once it is confident it works, but critics warn that with misinformation, manipulated images and AI-generated content spreading rapidly, crowdsourced checks may come too late to prevent false claims from reaching millions. Vedika Bahl explains the risks.
Trump claims firefighters carried him to safety ‘right after’ 9/11, but his account is disputed
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the press over coverage questioning where he was. This week, he said two firefighters carried him to safety near the US Steel Building right after the attacks, though he later said that he wasn’t at the World Trade Center on the day of the collapse. His version of events and alleged role at Ground Zero have evolved many times over the years. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
No, UN chief Guterres did not call Francesca Albanese 'out of control'
Pro-Israel lobby group UN Watch has alleged that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to Francesca Albanese, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Palestine, as "out of control", saying he'd previously called her a "horrible woman". But Guterres named no one in his remarks. He said "many" independent rapporteurs were "totally out of control", without singling out any individual. The UN has since said that linking the comment specifically to Albanese is a "misreading" of his remarks. Vedika Bahl fact-checks.
US-Iran war: Old videos falsely claim to show new attacks on American bases
As US-Iran hostilities flare up and strikes resume, so has a wave of misinformation online. Old and unrelated videos are flooding social media, falsely presented as footage of new attacks. As tensions escalate, clips filmed in Dubai, Russia and the US have been misrepresented as Iranian strikes on US bases in the Gulf. Elsewhere, a 68-year-old video of a US nuclear test has been falsely claimed to show Iran detonating mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake.
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