AI video used to falsely claim police beating of photojournalist
DHAKA, May 5, 2016 (BSS) - FactWatch has identified an attempt to create confusion by circulating an AI-generated video falsely claiming that police beat a photojournalist.
According to FactWatch, the AI-generated video has been detected as misleading.
The FactWatch investigation team reported that a video showing a person in police uniform beating another individual lying on the street has recently been shared on Facebook.
The caption claims that the journalist was beaten by police for taking photos of a clash between students. However, FactWatch’s investigation found that the video was created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Upon review, several unrealistic movements were observed among the individuals in the video.
The face of the person being beaten appears abnormal, and the movements of two female figures running in the background do not seem realistic. Such inconsistencies are common in AI-generated videos.
Additionally, the video was analyzed using an AI detection tool called Deepfake-o-Meter, which indicated a high probability that the video was AI-generated.
The FactWatch team also conducted a reverse image search using key frames from the video and found a report published by The Daily Campus on February 12, 2023, titled: “Police beat journalist for taking photos of student clashes.” The still image used in that report matches the location and clothing seen in the discussed video.
FactWatch concluded that the video was created using that image.
Furthermore, there have been no recent reports in the news media about police beating a photojournalist. Therefore, FactWatch has classified the posts containing this video as distorted and misleading.
Fact-checking organizations noted that since the mass uprising of 2024, there has been an increase in the spread of misinformation about Bangladesh through various media outlets, social media accounts, and certain Facebook pages.
These false narratives have particularly targeted the former interim government, groups involved in the 2024 movement, and the BNP after forming the government.
FactWatch is working to prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation in the country. The organization is an independent fact-checking body affiliated with the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and operated by the Center for Critical and Qualitative Studies (CQS).
