It was a video you won't forget. A house collapses, screams echo through the air, and a date is emblazoned at the bottom of the screen. But what if everything is not as it seems? Welcome to the world of disinformation and fake news.
The legend begins
One morning, many of us woke up to find our social media feeds full of images of the devastating earthquake in Morocco. But one of those videos that got particular attention wasn't all as it seemed.
Wrong place, wrong year
The collapsing house that struck terror and pity in the hearts of viewers was in Morocco, but not in Marrakesh 2023. A quick reverse image search revealed the truth. It comes from a suburb of Casablanca and dates back to August 2020.
The dangers of old media in new stories
It's not the first time that older clips have been recycled in new contexts. From the earthquake in Turkey to the tsunami in Syria: the internet is full of examples of fake news hiding in real stories.
In search of the truth and against fakes
Why do people do this? Is it just to generate clicks and likes? Or is there a deeper, darker intention behind it? These questions are worth asking and exploring, especially at a time when fake news is on the rise and the truth often seems blurry.
Conclusion
In today's digital world, staying informed and having the ability to distinguish truth from fiction is more important than ever. An old video can easily be taken out of context and presented as something new, especially in times of crisis and disaster. The next time you see a shocking video or an astonishing piece of news, take a moment to dig for the truth. What you find might surprise you.
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Also read: Daily press, FPÖ & Soros: When satire meets political realities.
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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 )