A video, which shows an elephant rescuing a leopard, along with a photo of an under-constructed bridge submerged in water are going viral on social media platforms as recent visuals from Sri Lanka.
The clip was shared with a caption that said, "This is Heartbreaking to see. #FloodSL #FloodSriLanka."
The image's caption said, "BREAKING: Death toll from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka rises to 132, with 176 still missing. President declares state of emergency as nearly half a million people affected. India, US & Maldives rush humanitarian aid."
What are the facts?: The video has been generated using the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and does not show real visuals.
The image of the under-constructed bridge dates back to September and is actually from Hyderabad.
What about the video?: We noticed that the leopard's body appeared to disappear for a brief moment when the wild cat was seen readjusting on top of the elephant.
Secondly, the texture of the water appeared too smooth. This is a trait that is commonly spotted in AI-generated visuals.
What did detection tools show?: Team WebQoof passed the video through two AI detection tools namely — 'Hive Moderation' and 'DeepFake-O-Meter' to further verify the authenticity.
While the first tool showed around 89 percent probability, one detector of the second tool showed about 100 percent chance of the video being an AI-generated one.
Swipe right to view all screenshots.
It showed around 89 percent probability of the video being an AI one.
(Source: Hive Moderation/Screenshot)
About the viral image?: On conducting a reverse image search on the viral photo, we found a video uploaded on the official X handle of media outlet Deccan Chronicle.
It was shared on 27 September with a caption saying, "#Hyderabad | Heavy rains raise Musi river levels. Authorities begin evacuation from low lying areas."
Conclusion: It is evident that the visuals are being incorrectly shared as from Sri Lanka.
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