Category Misconceptions

Fake: “Radicals” burn down Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church in Mykolaiv province

Russian media are circulating a video purporting to show the torching of an
Orthodox Church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate in the Mykolaiv region
by Ukrainian "radicals". The video was actually taken in Russia ten years
ago, in 2013.

Read MoreFake: “Radicals” burn down Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church in Mykolaiv province

Posts use old video to falsely claim Russian president visited South Africa in March 2023

After the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant last month for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a video re-emerged on social media claiming to show him arriving in South Africa for an official visit. But this is false: the video was filmed in July 2018 ahead of the 10th summit of the BRICS group, which South Africa hosted. AFP Fact Check previously debunked a similar claim about the video a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Read MorePosts use old video to falsely claim Russian president visited South Africa in March 2023

Why fake anti-Zelensky graffiti is showing up all over the world – The Observers

Did graffiti depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a black hole "sucking up European money" really appear on the streets of a Paris suburb? What about graffiti showing the president as an insect or as excrement? According to images circulating online, graffiti like this has been popping up on the streets of several European cities. But in fact, none of them ever existed. We took a closer look to prove that they are fake.

Read MoreWhy fake anti-Zelensky graffiti is showing up all over the world – The Observers

Geolocation proves video showing soldiers harassing Russian-speaking woman is staged – Truth or Fake

A video shared by everyone from prominent Russian media to official Kremlin social media accounts purports to show Ukrainian soldiers harassing a woman and her child. But open source communities' debunking of the video has prompted an unusual backtrack from some of the pro-Russian lobby. We take a closer look in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MoreGeolocation proves video showing soldiers harassing Russian-speaking woman is staged – Truth or Fake

Truth or Fake 2023: image verification in the age of AI and video games

For France's Press and Media in Schools Week 2023, France 24's Observers team, specialised in debunking misinformation, has produced a new annual edition of "Truth or Fake", a short programme giving tips on how to disentangle fact from fiction.

Read MoreTruth or Fake 2023: image verification in the age of AI and video games

Four tips for detecting AI-generated images – Truth or Fake

Apps like DALL-E and Midjourney are making it easier and easier to create realistic-looking images using artificial intelligence. In this video, Derek Thomson shares four tips on how to detect them, but warns that the technology is improving fast.

Read MoreFour tips for detecting AI-generated images – Truth or Fake