Deepfake: “France24” video about the assassination attempt on Macron

The common claim

A blurred France24 video shared on Facebook claims French President Emmanuel Macron canceled a planned visit to Ukraine because of an alleged assassination attempt. The attack was planned by the Ukrainian authorities in order to then blame Russia. The video suggests that this was reported in French media and shows the “France24” logo.

The fact check

The video turns out to be fake. It is based on a French-language deepfake that uses footage from “France24” to create the fake. The original material comes from a broadcast on February 12, 2024. “France24” revealed the methods of the counterfeiters in an explanatory video and made it clear that the video was a fake.

The AI ​​technology used could not convincingly imitate the lip movements, which is an indication of the fake. The German version of the clip was created with the software “EzDubs.ai”, as shown by the software’s logo in the right area of ​​the video, while the French version was not.

EzDubs.ai is an online tool that translates audio tracks from videos into other languages ​​using artificial intelligence.

What we found out

It has been confirmed that the video depicting an assassination attempt on Emmanuel Macron is a fake. It was manipulated using artificial intelligence. Lip movements and the soundtrack were changed to give the false impression that the station was reporting on such a planned assassination attempt. The use of “EzDubs.ai” in the German version also underlines the fake nature of the video.

questions and answers

Question 1: How to identify fake news videos?
Answer 1: Be aware of unnatural lip movements, check the source and look for official statements from the affected media.

Question 2: What are deepfakes?
Answer 2: Deepfakes are videos or audio files manipulated by artificial intelligence that often look deceptively real.

Question 3: How do media companies combat the spread of fakes?
Answer 3: They publish corrections, use fact-checking tools and explain the characteristics of counterfeits.

Question 4: Why are fake news videos problematic?
Answer 4: They can spread disinformation, undermine public trust in the media and increase political tensions.

Question 5: What can you do yourself against the spread of fake news?
Answer 5: Remain critical, check sources and share verified information to promote education.

Conclusion

The video from “France24” is fake. Fake news videos pose a serious threat to the quality of information and public trust. It is important to remain critical, question sources and rely on reliable information. Education and awareness of counterfeit identification features are important tools in the fight against disinformation.

Source: DPA , France24

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