AI Image Shared as Littered Ground After PM Modi's Rally in West Bengal

AI-detection tools Sightengine and Hive Moderation revealed that the viral image was AI-generated.

Fact-Check: This image is AI-generated and not a real photo. 

(Source: The Quint) 

An image showing litter, such as liquor bottles, paan packets, and other waste, is being circulated on social media with the claim that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers from other states dirtied areas around monuments in West Bengal following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here, here and here.)

Is the claim true?: No, the claim is false as this viral image is created using artificial intelligence (AI).

What we found: At first, we ran a Google reverse image search on the viral image. However, we did not find any credible sources to substantiate the claim.

• This led us to run a relevant keyword search to check if there were any reports about such incidents. However, Team WebQoof found no evidence to support the image's validity.

• We closely examined the image and noticed that the text was illegible on the packets and bottles.

Here is a close-up of the image. 

Here is a close-up of the image. 

• This led Team WebQoof to run the image on AI-detection tools such as Hive Moderation and Sightengine, which revealed that the image was AI-generated.

Here are the results by Hive Moderation.

Here are the results by Sightengine.

• Additionally, we also came across posts where the image showing litter featured Trinamool Congress's (TMC) flag, instead of the BJP flag, as well.

Here is a preview of the post. 

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

• We also ran this image on Hive Moderation and found that it was also AI-generated.

Here are the results by Hive Moderation. 

(Source: Hive Moderation) 

Conclusion: The viral image is AI-generated and not a real instance as shared on social media.

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