WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Around the BRICS Summit, Deepfakes and More

Read our recap to find the viral pieces of fake news we fact-checked this week!

From misleading claims surrounding the BRICS Summit to an old, unrelated video from Bangladesh shared to show a communal incident in India, here are five of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/ The Quint)

From AI-generated and unrelated visuals with misleading claims about the 2026 BRICS Summit to an old, unrelated video from Bangladesh shared to show a communal incident in India, here are five of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.

1. AI-Generated Image Viral as Real Photo of World Leaders at 2026 BRICS Summit

A selfie showing Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Iran's Ebrahim Raisi has gone viral on social media.

The claim: Those sharing this image have claimed that it shows a selfie taken during the 2026 BRICS Summit, which is being held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September.

An archived version of this report can be seen here.

(Source: Asianet Hindi/Screenshot)

However, the image is AI-generated and does not show a real image of world leaders at the 2026 BRICS Summit.

Read our fact-check here.

2. No, Iranian President Didn’t Touch a Hindu Religious Leader's Feet at BRICS

A video is going viral on social media, claiming to show Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian touching the feet of a Hindu religious leader at the 2026 BRICS Summit.

An archived version of this claim can be found here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the claim is false. The video shows the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian picking up a document from the ground.

Read the full story here.

3. No, PM Modi Didn’t Gift His Own Photo To Chinese President Xi Jinping at BRICS

A short video, showing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping is being widely shared on social media, where both of them can be seen holding a decorative plate bearing the former's likeness on it.

The claim: The clip is being shared after the conclusion of the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi, claiming that PM Modi gifted Jinping a photo of himself during the event.

An archived version of this post can be seen here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the claim is false.

• The video dates back to October 2019 and shows the Chinese president gifting PM Modi a porcelain plate with his image on it.

• Read our fact-check here.

4. AI-Altered Video of MEA Spokesperson Speaking About Eating Nuts Shared as Real

A video of the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was shared on social media of him answering a question about eating snacks during the 2026 BRICS Summit.

An archived version of this claim can be found here.

(Source: Instagram/Screenshot)

However, the claim is false, as the video was altered using AI.

Read our fact-check here.

5. Old, Unrelated Video From Bangladesh Falsely Shared As One From India

A video is being shared on social media, claiming to show a Muslim man being assaulted by Hindu men in India.

An archived version of this claim can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the video originates from Bangladesh and does not show a communal incident from India.

Read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)