We all know that images can be manipulated with just a few clicks. Recently, a photo of Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister, was spotlighted as an explosive example of this practice.

The image allegedly showing Johnson giving the Hitler salute in Ukraine has caused a stir online.

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But as is often the case in the digital age, not everything is as it seems.

How Boris Johnson's picture went viral

The picture comes from Boris Johnson's visit to Ivan Franko University in Lviv, Ukraine, where he received an honorary doctorate:

On September 11, 2023, a picture of Boris Johnson appeared on Facebook that allegedly showed him giving the Hitler salute at that very event. However, the viral spread was not limited to Facebook, but quickly reached other social media, including the X and TikTok platforms.

This type of targeted disinformation designed to paint policymakers in a bad light is not new, but it is particularly sensitive in the current geopolitical situation.

The connection to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict line

Since Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine began, the Internet has been flooded with false claims aimed at branding the Ukrainian leadership as "Nazis." The manipulated image of Johnson appears to fit into this agenda and serves as another tool to spread this narrative.

In Search of the Truth: The Original Photo

A closer look at the source of the photo leads us to the Ukrainian television channel “24 Kanal”. The original photo , published on September 9, 2023 , shows a very different Boris Johnson: one crossing his arms during a ceremony, far removed from any controversial gesture. A watermark on the edited version points to a Ukrainian-language account called “Smak” that carried out the manipulation.

The reaction and the livestream proof

A livestream of the event on YouTube served as further evidence against the manipulation.

A spokesman for Johnson also confirmed to AFP that the image was fake. Ross Kempsell, a representative for Johnson, said:

Conclusion

In a time where digital manipulation is easy, it is important to stay informed and vigilant. It shows how important it is to get information from reliable sources and not to be influenced by misinformation.

Do not be fooled! Subscribe to the Mimikama newsletter and stay up to date on current media manipulations. Also take a look at the Mimikama media education offer to better understand how manipulation works and how you can protect yourself from it.

Source:

AFP

This might also be of interest:
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )