Fact-Check Dispatch: A biblical plague, 3D-printed meat, and the new James Bond
Issue 1 of the Spotlight Fact-Check Dispatch
Spotlight is a newsletter created by Eurovision News in collaboration with Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). It aims to combat misinformation and promote fact-checking efforts in Europe. The newsletter serves as a platform to showcase the fact-checking work of European public service media broadcasters.
Misrepresented videos emerge as Iran attacks Israel
One person was injured after Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday into Sunday, April 14.
Amid the strikes, a video emerged on an X account purporting to show Israeli settlements on fire following the attack by Iran. The 23-second video depicts raging fires burning near a highway as several people walk in and out of the shot.
Listening closely to the video, we can hear that Spanish is spoken, raising an immediate red flag over the provenance of the content. Another version of the video, published on February 4, 2024, purported that the footage showed wildfires in the Achupallas, Viñs del Mar, region of Chile earlier this year.
As the assault continued, a video was shared on an X account purporting to show the Iron Dome air defence system intercepting Iranian rockets. The text accompanying the video reads: “Missiles sent from Iran being intercepted by the Iron Dome in Israel‘s capital city Tel Aviv. Is this the start of World War 3 ?”
Looking closely at the video, it can be seen that there is text at the upper left. When run through Google Reverse Image Search, the text is recognised as Chinese and translated as “Game images are for entertainment purposes only.”
Further use of Google Reverse Image Search, using stills from the video, reveals that it has previously been posted to social media—including on March 2—confirming that it cannot have been captured on April 14.
Several posts across social media claimed that severe weather caused a beach in Iran to turn blood red and alluded to a biblical plague in the aftermath of an Iranian attack on Israel.
A search for information about Hormuz Island in Iran shows the area boasts a popular attraction known as the Red Beach. The area is known for its mineral-rich soil, which gives the beach its characteristic red colour.
ITTO, an Iranian tourism NGO, says the water running red is caused by the proximity of a red oxide-rich hill to the sea. Rainfall can exacerbate the unusual colour of the beach, as run-off from the red hillside flows downhill towards the shore.
Joe Biden’s ‘announcement’ of compulsory military service is AI-generated
A video shared on X purported to show U.S. President Joe Biden announcing an order for compulsory military service amid heightened tensions with Iran and Russia.
He purportedly says:
“The illegal Russian offensive has been swift, callous and brutal. It’s barbaric. Putin’s illegal occupation of Kyiv and the impending ground operation in Iran has created a two-front national security crisis that requires more troops than the volunteer military service can supply. I have received guidance from General Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, that the recommended way forward will be to invoke the Selective Service Act, as is my authority as president.”
The visual appearance of Joe Biden’s mouth and the audio accompanying the clip indicate that the video has been altered using artificial intelligence. A reverse image search of the video brings us to several different versions of the same clip.
The original version can be traced back to December 2021 and features President Biden delivering remarks on plans to lower the cost of insulin for people with diabetes.”
Henry Cavill is the new James Bond?
A movie trailer posted to YouTube under the title “Bond 26 – First Trailer” appeared to give a first look at actors Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie starring in a new James Bond movie.
The trailer was posted by an account that frequently publishes so-called “concept trailers”, according to its About section. The production team is based in Georgia, according to YouTube’s Channel Details.
The trailer itself uses a mix of real clips from other films featuring the stars, and AI-generated snapshots. For example, a reverse image search on one scene featuring Margot Robbie actually shows her in the 2018 film Terminal.
A snippet featuring ‘Henry Cavill’ also features the hallmarks of an AI-generated video, with blurring seen around the edges of the figure and an airbrushed-like effect to the image.
Claims Dutch company is 3D-printing meat using animal stem cells are false
Posts circulated widely on social media since early 2024 claim that a Dutch factory is 3D-printing steaks and other meat products using animal stem cells.
The claim began to spread on Facebook in early January. According to the claim, Israeli company Redefine Meat had begun operating in the Netherlands where its factory was producing 50 tonnes of steaks per week.
However, on its website’s FAQ section under “Products”, the company clearly states that all its products are “are free from animal-based ingredients, thus suitable for vegans. In fact, we believe that everyone should be able to enjoy new-meat, and they are aimed at omnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians or vegans.”
Fabricated tweets claim Sky News described Sydney attacker as 'Jihadi’
Screenshots purported to show that Sky News changed its description of the Sydney attacker from ”Radical Islamic Jihadi Terrorist” to “Mentally Ill Man” after it emerged he was not Muslim.
An initial look at the regular posts on the official Sky News account reveals some style inconsistencies. The first letter of every word in the posts is capitalised in the purported screenshots, which is not Sky News's usual style.
An advanced search of activity by the U.K. news outlet on X does not pull up any evidence that Sky News published the posts shown in the screenshot.