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☆ Fact Check-WEF did not announce CBDCs must be implanted to engage in society
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The World Economic Forum (WEF) did not announce that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) must be “implanted under your skin” for an individual to participate in society, as claimed in social media posts. The claim stems from an article published on July 10 by the People’s Voice website with the headline: “WEF Says CBDCs Must Be ‘Implanted Under Your Skin’ if You Want To Participate in Society" (ghostarchive.org/archive/QjVJW). The WEF did publish a white paper in June 2023 on the implementation of CBDCs, but it contains no mention of a need for people to implant CBDCs to engage in society (here). In the video, Werner criticises the concept of CBDCs, and questions at the end of the interviews what CBDCs will look like in the future. There is no evidence that the WEF announced CBDCs must be implanted into an individual’s skin for them to participate in society and the article making that claim cites an economist who is not affiliated with WEF.

Persons: “ WEF, CBDCs, Richard Werner, professorwerner.org, Ivor Cummins, Werner, Read Organizations: Economic, People’s, YouTube, Forum, Reuters, WEF

☆ Fact Check-Jason Aldean did not sue ‘The View’ or its hosts in July 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The claim that country music singer Jason Aldean sued the co-hosts of ABC’s “The View” for defamation originated from a satirical website. The Dunning Kruger Times describes itself as part of a network of “parody, satire and tomfoolery,” adding that “everything on this website is fiction” (ghostarchive.org/archive/Rybzc). There are no credible media reports of Aldean having filed such a suit in July 2023, when the claim began circulating online (ghostarchive.org/archive/KP5ah). A spokesperson for “The View” did not provide comment, while a representative for BBR Music Group, the agency that represents Aldean, did not respond to a request for comment. The claim stems from the satirical website Dunning Kruger Times.

Persons: Jason Aldean, Dunning Kruger, Whoopi, Aldean, “, Dunning, Read Organizations: Washington Post, New York Times, Dunning Kruger Times, BBR Music, Reuters

☆ Fact Check-John Kerry did not say US farmers should ‘go extinct’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry did not say that farms, farmers or farming should be abolished during remarks at a climate summit in May, as suggested in social media posts that recirculated a misleading article headline claiming Kerry said U.S. farmers should become extinct. On May 10, the final day of the summit, Kerry said that cutting greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture was necessary to combat climate change, Reuters reported at the time (here). However, there is no record of Kerry having made a statement suggesting farmers should be eliminated and a State Department spokesperson said the claim is false. He does not say farmers should “go extinct”. John Kerry did not say, “it’s time for U.S. farmers to go extinct” at a climate summit in May.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Joe Biden, Kerry’s, “ John Kerry, ‘, Read Organizations: Reuters, Republican, State Department, Agriculture Innovation, Climate Summit, U.S . Farmers, People’s Locations: Washington

☆ Fact Check-Image shows SpaceX launch in 2018, not lasers before Hawaii wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An image of the Falcon 9 rocket launch by Elon Musk’s Space X has been mislabeled online as showing a laser beam hitting Maui, Hawaii just before deadly wildfires in August 2023. Maui’s wildfires have killed at least 96 people as of August 14, destroyed much of historic downtown Lahaina and made thousands of people homeless (here). However, the image was shared in May 2018 by SpaceX on its X and Flickr accounts (here) and (here) as showing the Falcon 9 launch from California (here). Reuters previously fact-checked claims involving the same image, which was falsely linked to wildfires in California in August 2020 (here). Image shows the Falcon 9 launch by Space X in May 2018, not a laser beam hitting Maui, Hawaii before the august 2023 wildfires.

Persons: Space X, Read Organizations: Elon Musk’s, Facebook, SpaceX, Reuters, Space Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, California

☆ Fact Check-Muslims not exempt from stamp duty on UK property purchases
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

False claims are spreading on social media that Muslims in the UK are exempt from paying stamp duty, a tax paid when buying property or land. In fact, stamp duty relief rules for Sharia-compliant alternative mortgages stop the levy being paid twice, but stamp duty is still ultimately financed by the buyer. Social media accounts, including here , claim Muslims are exempt from stamp duty charges. Stamp duty relief was introduced in 2003 to end stamp duty charges on both transactions. The rules ensure the same outcome and amount of stamp duty payable as for conventional mortgages, a spokesperson for HMRC said.

Persons: Read Organizations: HM Revenue, Customs, HMRC, Reuters Locations: England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Britain

☆ Fact Check-Video of German weather forecast digitally altered to include flames
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A clip of a weather forecast aired by a German TV station was digitally altered to include graphics of flames and siren noises and shared online alongside remarks suggesting that the station was being alarmist about hot weather. One of the posts with the altered video included the comment: “Meanwhile, in Germany, they’ve got flames on the screen for temperatures barely touching 30°C. The clip was altered from the original, which aired without the flames or the added audio on the German ARD network’s news show Tagesthemen (tinyurl.com/yd3mbtr3). Reuters has previously addressed similar altered content involving weather forecasts or maps (here), (here). The video has been digitally altered to include graphics of flames and siren noises.

Persons: they’ve, bonkers, Read Organizations: ARD, Reuters Locations: Germany

☆ Fact Check-Photo does not show ‘attack’ causing Hawaii wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Secrest told Reuters Fact Check that he took the picture on a frigid day and knew what he was seeing. I believe the last one was starting California wildfires....”The photo was taken from Baum Road in Canton Township, Secrest, who never visited Hawaii, told the Canton Repository in an Aug. 11 interview (here). Residents saw flames from Marathon refinery’s controlled flaring, the Canton Repository and Fox 8 reported (here), (here). Reuters Fact Check has previously addressed claims of a directed energy weapon used in wildfires or explosions, including the 2023 Canadian wildfires and a 2020 Nashville blast (here), (here). The photo has circulated online since January 2018, years before the Hawaii wildfires in August 2023.

Persons: Travis Secrest, Secrest, ”, ” Secrest, Read Organizations: National Weather Service, Reuters, Twitter, Facebook, Marathon Petroleum, Baum, Fox Locations: Ohio, Hawaii, Maui, Canton, Jan, California, Canton Township, Secrest, Michigan, Nashville

☆ Fact Check-Dominion lawsuits against Giuliani and Powell still active
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Defamation lawsuits by voting machine manufacturer Dominion Voting Systems against Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell are still active, despite online posts recirculating the false claim that Dominion lost the suits and suggesting the defeat was censored by news outlets. An Aug. 3 post on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “CENSORED NEWS: Dominion LOST its lawsuits against Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell!!! Dominion’s original complaint against Giuliani and Powell can be seen on the legal updates page of the company’s website (here). Reuters previously fact-checked claims in 2021 and 2022 that Dominion had lost its lawsuits against Giuliani and Powell (here) and (here). A company spokesperson as well as court filings show that Dominion’s lawsuits against Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell are ongoing as of Aug. 11, 2023, with discovery scheduled until 2025.

Persons: Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Giuliani, Powell, Donald Trump’s, Dominion isn’t, ”, Carl Nichols, Read Organizations: Voting, Dominion, Twitter, Facebook, Free Law, U.S, District, Reuters

☆ Fact Check-Headline that 13 nations commit to abolish farming is false
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Leaders and ministers from 13 countries committed to addressing methane emissions in their respective agricultural sectors during a meeting in Chile on April 14, contrary to a claim made online that they agreed to abolish farming to save the planet. At no point does the publication state a plan to abolish farming or agriculture or detail any specific changes the signatories will make to curb methane emissions. Marcelo Mena, CEO of GMH, told Reuters via email that claims the declaration would abolish farming “are entirely inaccurate”. The 13 nations committed to mitigating methane emissions in their respective agricultural sectors. They did not agree to abolish farming.

Persons: Uruguay –, Marcelo Mena, ”, Read Organizations: Conservative …, European Union Times, Facebook, Global, Clean Air Coalition, Inter, American Institute for Cooperation, Agriculture, Reuters Locations: Chile, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Panama, Peru, Spain, United States, Uruguay

☆ Fact Check-Video of actor Cillian Murphy correcting Prince Harry is altered
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A viral video appearing to show Irish actor Cillian Murphy correcting Prince Harry, the younger son of Britain’s King Charles, about Murphy’s nationality has been altered. The video (seen here and here) shows Prince Harry meeting the cast of the 2017 film Dunkirk in front of a poster promoting the film. The exchange is as follows: “[Prince Harry:] “So, you’re British?” // [Murphy:] “No, I’m Irish” // [Prince Harry:] “Ah yeah I know, British” // [Murphy:] “No, no, no. The video used in the post is genuine and shows Prince Harry meeting the Dunkirk cast in 2017 (here). A video that appears to show Irish actor Cillian Murphy correcting Prince Harry about Murphy’s nationality has been altered with a different audio track.

Persons: Cillian Murphy, Prince Harry, Britain’s King Charles, Murphy, Harry, Tom Hardy, Read Organizations: Dunkirk, British, Associated Press YouTube, London, Hot, Reuters Locations: Dunkirk, British, Israeli, Douglas , Ireland, Cork, Ireland, Northern Ireland

☆ Fact Check-Video shows soldiers in Sierra Leone in 1998, not Niger in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Footage of soldiers entering a village in Sierra Leone in 1998 has been miscaptioned online as showing Nigerian soldiers in Niger, where President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup on July 26, 2023. The old video clip, which has been overlayed with the false caption: “Nigerian army at Niger,” shows military personnel firing shots while entering the village of Goderich. It shows units of the Nigerian-led intervention force - Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), taking control of Goderich, a rebel area adjacent to capital city Freetown, during a coup in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone video reappeared with the false caption in August as defence chiefs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mull over plans for the possible use of force to reverse the coup in Niger (here). A video showing African coalition forces responding to a civil war in Sierra Leone in 1998, has been mislabelled as relating to a 2023 coup in Niger.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, ECOMOG, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Read Organizations: Associated Press, Economic, West, States Monitoring, Reuters, Sierra, West African States Locations: Sierra Leone, Niger, Goderich, Nigerian, Freetown, mull

☆ Fact Check-Video of Kabul airport dates to 2021, not Mali and Niger forces in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video filmed at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport that dates to August 2021 is being shared in 2023 with a caption that falsely says it shows soldiers from Mali and Niger preparing to fight Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS). The claim is being shared after President Mohamed Bazoum was removed by Niger's military leaders on July 26, 2023. Reuters could not independently verify the source of the video, however, it predates the 2023 coup in Niger. It can be traced to August 2021 (here) when it was shared in relation to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Video of Kabul airport dates to August 2021, does not show Mali and Niger forces in 2023.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, “, ”, Bola Tinubu, Read Organizations: Economic, West, Reuters, Watch, Force, Kabul Airport Locations: Kabul, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, States, West, Central Africa, Afghanistan, U.S

☆ Fact Check-Video of Burkina Faso leader being welcomed by people dates to 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Army captain Traore was named the country’s transitional president on Oct. 14, two weeks after he seized power in Burkina Faso's second coup of 2022, Reuters reported (here). “The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, received a hero's welcome on his return from Russia. #BurkinaFaso #Niger #Mali #Guinea #Russia #Africa #panafricanism,” reads a Facebook post sharing the video (here). But the clip can be traced back to October 2022 when it was uploaded to AFP’s YouTube channel with the title: “Burkina Faso military captain parades in Ouagadougou” (here) (timestamp 0:11). Video does not show people welcoming Burkina Faso leader following his return from the 2023 Russia-Arica summit.

Persons: Burkina Faso’s, Ibrahim Traore, Traore, “, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Read Organizations: Reuters, YouTube Locations: Russia, Africa, Saint Petersburg, Burkina, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Guinea, Ouagadougou ”, Arica

☆ Fact Check-No evidence 5G banned in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Claims Russian President Vladimir Putin banned 5G across Russia following deaths of school children near St. Petersburg stem from a website previously fact-checked by Reuters. One post (here) includes the text, “Putin Bans 5G across Russia, Destroys All Towers. What has #Russia uncovered that would make them take such drastic action and should we consider doing the same? Reuters did not find any credible reports that 5G has been banned in Russia or that school children were killed by 5G near St. Petersburg (bit.ly/47s5I4w), as mentioned in the article. There’s no evidence President Vladimir Putin is banning 5G in Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, “, Mikhail Mishustin, Read Organizations: Reuters, “ Putin, Real Raw, 5G, Russian, country’s Ministry of Health Locations: Russia, St, Petersburg, St . Petersburg, Russian, russia

☆ Fact Check-US military did not arrest former IRS director
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A fabricated article claiming that the U.S. military arrested former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) director, Charles Rettig, for taking a 1% cut of each federal income tax payment in 2021 and keeping it in offshore accounts, stems from an article on a self-described satirical website. An Instagram post (here) sharing the claim includes the text, “They all are going down not surprised stop participating in lies. The claims stem from an article (archive.li/H38Mu) titled “Military Arrests Former IRS Director Charles Rettig” published on July 31, 2023, on the website Real Raw News. The Real Raw News site has previously posted false information attributed to unnamed sources and addressed by Reuters Fact Check (here), (here), (here). There is no evidence that former IRS director Charles Rettig was arrested by the U.S. military.

Persons: Charles Rettig, Charles Rettig ”, Rettig, Read Organizations: Internal Revenue Service, Real Raw News, Real Raw, U.S . Department of Justice’s, U.S, Reuters, U.S .

☆ Fact Check-John Daly’s remarks on Megan Rapinoe’s missed kick stem from parody
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Her kick was as straight as her - sideways.’”An iteration with over 2,100 reactions on Facebook is viewable (here). Its handle is a misspelling of PGA Tour, the professional golf tour organization in the United States (twitter.com/PGATOUR). There are no credible reports that Daly made any such public remarks about Rapinoe (archive.ph/IZizd), (bit.ly/3qmoCZY). Rapinoe played her last World Cup with the women’s national team on Sunday, missing her kick in the penalty-shoot out against Sweden (here). These remarks were originally posted by a parody account on platform X.

Persons: John Daly, Megan Rapinoe’s, “ John Daly, Daly, Rapinoe, Read Organizations: Tour, women’s, Reuters Locations: United States, Sweden

☆ Fact Check-Rioting in Sweden occurred during Eritrean festival, not children's fair
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

An August riot near the Swedish capital Stockholm took place during an Eritrean cultural festival and not a children’s fair, as suggested by a post on social media. The post (seen here and viewed more than 500,000 times) includes a video and a caption, reading: "Riots yesterday at a children's fair in Sweden." According to local media, protesters marched towards the festival area, got through the police cordons, threw rubbish at the festival participants and set tents and vehicles ablaze. The festival celebrating Eritrean cultural heritage is an annual event that has been taking place since the 1990s, local media says (here). The video shows clashes of supporters and opponents of the Eritrean regime during a festival in Stockholm, not a children’s fair.

Persons: Asa Nilsson Soderstrom, Isaak, Read Organizations: Expressen, YouTube, Eritrean, watchdogs, World Press, SVT, Amnesty International, Statistics Sweden, Reuters Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, Eritrea, Syria, Turkmenistan, Iran, Vietnam, China, North Korea, Swedish, Eritrean

☆ Fact Check-No evidence of Kari Lake X social media post calling Trump supporters obese
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

There is no evidence that former TV anchor and defeated Republican 2022 mid-term gubernatorial candidate, Kari Lake, posted a remark on social media calling those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 elections obese. A screenshot appears to show a post published by Lake via X, formally known as Twitter, on Nov. 9. A search through Lake’s posts at the time does not reveal any posts commiserating Trump’s 2016 victory (ghostarchive.org/archive/bELBA). The earliest iteration Reuters could find of the image stems from a Reddit post published on Nov 4, 2022 (here) and later, via the meme website iFunny, posted on Nov. 8, 2022 (here). Reuters found no evidence that such a post was published by Lake.

Persons: Kari Lake, Donald Trump, Taft, Lake didn’t, Read Organizations: Republican, Reuters, Lake

☆ Fact Check-Cost of living headline attributed to comedian Eddie Izzard is fake, unrelated to The Guardian
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A headline about the cost-of-living crisis, which was attributed to British comedian Eddie Izzard, also known as Suzy Izzard, and is featured on a page mimicking the layout and typeface of The Guardian newspaper, is fake. A spokesperson for The Guardian told Reuters in an email that the image is fake. A search through the outlet’s website did not reveal the headline (www.theguardian.com/uk), and neither did an external search (ghostarchive.org/archive/jMQDt). Archives of The Guardian’s homepage saved on Aug. 5 did not reveal the headline (here). No such headline was published by Izzard or The Guardian.

Persons: Eddie Izzard, Suzy Izzard, Izzard, Read Organizations: The Guardian, British, Labour, Guardian, Reuters Locations: British

☆ Fact Check-Video shows Sicilian theatre, not child sacrifice den
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Information about performances part of the 2022/2023 theatrical season at Teatro Donnafugata is viewable on the website (here), (here). Teatro Donnafugata has also been documented by visitors on Google Maps (goo.gl/maps/RtFsf9f6xAkE3dph6) and Tripadvisor (bit.ly/3qnqkKD ); as well by the theatre itself on its social media channels (youtu.be/GsL6i7rgH1M?t=348), (here), (here). Teatro Donnafugata did not respond to a request for comment. This video shows Teatro Donnafugata, a small threatre underneath a palace in Sicily that is open to the public. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts (here).

Persons: Arturo Brachetti, ”, Vicky Di Quattro, “ Vicky, Bracchetti, Donnafugata, Read Organizations: Facebook, Reuters, Teatro, Google, Donnafugata Locations: Sicily, Italian, Ragusa Ibla

☆ Fact Check-No evidence of trauma found on body of Obama’s chef
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Claims that the Obamas called off the autopsy or brought in their own mortician are also false, according to Massachusetts State Police and the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). Tafari Campbell, 45, was seen struggling while paddle boarding near a home owned by the Obamas on July 23. A July 25 post on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “DEVELOPING: Obamas Chef is now reported to have suffered blunt trauma prior to death. There are also no reliable news reports to suggest Campbell suffered any trauma prior to or during his death or that the Obamas called off the autopsy. Massachusetts State Police said that no trauma was observed on Tafari Campbell, and that the post-mortem examination was performed by the state’s chief medical examiner’s office.

Persons: Barack Obama, Tafari Campbell, Instagram, Campbell “, Obama, ”, David Procopio, Campbell, Procopio, Read Organizations: Massachusetts State Police, Medical, Reuters, Twitter, Massachusetts Locations: Martha’s, Massachusetts

☆ Fact Check-Not all vehicles to places of worship are exempt from London emissions-zone charge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, minibuses used for community transport by non-profit organisations, including to places of worship, are temporarily exempt from ULEZ charges. Social media accounts are circulating an image of an unattributed newspaper clipping reporting “Journeys to Houses Of Worship Exempt From ULEZ” (here, here, here and here). However, there is no exemption in place specifically for journeys undertaken to a place of worship, they added. ULEZ exemption details can be found on the TfL website (here). But there is no exemption in place specifically for journeys undertaken to a place of worship under ULEZ.

Persons: London Sadiq Khan, ” Khan, Khan “, ”, Sadiq Khan, Khan, Read Organizations: Transport, London, TfL, Muslim Observer, Reuters Locations: London

☆ Fact Check-Fire extinguished on car carrier off Dutch coast and ship moved to port, not sunk
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A fire on a car carrier sailing off the coast of the Netherlands on July 25 was extinguished, according to Dutch authorities and “K” Line, the ship’s charter company. The Dutch coastguard (here), ministry of infrastructure and water management (here) and “K” Line (here) have all said the fire was successfully extinguished and that the boat was towed to the Dutch port of Eemshaven. A “K” Line spokesperson told Reuters via email that at no point was there any intention to sink the ship. The Fremantle Highway is now at a berth in Eemshaven where she arrived yesterday afternoon (Aug. 3) under tow,” the spokesperson said. The fire on the Fremantle Highway was extinguished and there was never a plan to sink the vessel, which has been pictured at port in Eemshaven.

Persons: “, salvors, Read Organizations: Fremantle, Twitter, Facebook, Dutch coastguard, ”, Reuters Locations: Netherlands, Eemshaven

☆ Fact Check-Video shows Senegal military parade, not Niger soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video of Senegalese soldiers parading on Senegal’s Independence Day is being falsely claimed online to show soldiers from Niger sending a warning to West African nations against interfering in the country’s coup. The video was shared after Niger President Mohamed Bazoum was removed from power in a military coup. Senegalese flags can be seen throughout, and Reuters traced the clip back to posts from April in relation to Senegal’s Independence Day, which is held on April 4 (here) ,(here). Senegalese news outlet Live SN streamed video of the same parade from a different angle on April 4 (here). The video shows soldiers at Senegal’s Independence Day parade and is unrelated to Niger’s coup.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Tinubu, ”, Bola Tinubu, Read Organizations: West African States, Reuters Locations: Niger, West, Central Africa, “ Niger, Nigeria, Senegalese

☆ Fact Check-Photos of Florida sunburn competition are fake
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

There is no evidence of a sunburn contest in Florida, and photos from a so-called extreme sunburn competition in online posts are not authentic. Examples of online posts on Aug. 3 and 4 sharing photos of people with burns from an “extreme sunburn competition in Florida” can be seen (here) and (here). The “Cursed AI” Facebook group notes in its description that content on the page is AI-generated (here). Reuters has contacted the account that posted the photos in the Cursed AI group for comment. The photos were shared on a Facebook page made for AI-generated content, and there is no evidence of such a sunburn competition in Florida.

Persons: Read Organizations: Reuters Locations: Florida

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