By Sama Marwan,
Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for rumors and fake news, especially amid global political developments. Since the announcement of the fall of the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad, manipulated images and videos created using AI technology have been circulating, allegedly showing Assad shopping for tomatoes in Moscow’s markets.
The video, which has yet to be verified, depicts former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad purchasing tomatoes, though no Russian media outlets have confirmed whether the footage was indeed filmed in Moscow or whether the man shown is Assad himself or a lookalike.
In another widely spread rumor, a viral image claims that Syrian opposition forces discovered former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein alive inside a tunnel in Saidnaya Prison, 19 years after his disappearance.
However, upon investigation, it was revealed that the photo in question actually shows former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili during his arrest after he entered Georgia in October 2021.
In recent hours, coinciding with reports of Hollywood celebrities evacuating their homes due to wildfires raging across Los Angeles, numerous social media users shared images and videos purportedly showing the iconic Hollywood sign in flames. This led to concerns about the fate of Hollywood studios and film sets.
However, many of these images were later found to be AI-generated or old photos that were reshared.
To reassure the public, an official Hollywood account posted on Instagram:
“The Hollywood sign is still standing. Please keep the rest of Los Angeles County in your thoughts and prayers. Stay vigilant if you’re under evacuation orders. Don’t believe fake news — rely on trusted news sources.”
The use of AI in creating fake videos and images is escalating crises and distorting facts. For instance, a doctored video from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s memorial service surfaced online, allegedly showing a physical altercation between Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Jill Biden.
The satirical account “il Donaldo Trumpo” on X (formerly Twitter) shared the fake video, depicting a fistfight between the two women during the memorial service.
The memorial service for former President Jimmy Carter was attended by five living U.S. presidents, their vice presidents, and world leaders. Among those in attendance were Donald Trump and his wife Melania, who were seated in the National Cathedral alongside Barack Obama. Before taking their seats, both Trump and Obama shook hands with Al Gore and Mike Pence, the latter being Trump’s former vice president.
