Videos of the tsunami virus that hit Japan spread false information in warnings about the Pacific earthquake and were exposed as synthetic content.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula at the end of July caused a tsunami warning throughout the Pacific Ocean, including Japan. Despite extensive warnings and precautions evacuations, the most important wave recorded in Japan was only 1.3 meters.
It turns out that the video, which has spread with over 39 million views on platforms like Facebook and Tiktok, shows the huge waves approaching the Japanese coastline, is being generated by AI rather than real footage.
The clip, which appears to be taken from the plane, was first posted online by a YouTube channel specializing in synthetic visuals.
Analysis of the video revealed inconsistencies that confirm that it was manufactured, such as unnatural water movements and stationary planes. Additionally, numerous Facebook pages have shared videos, linked to commercial sites, spreading misinformation.
Official reports from Japanese broadcasters confirmed that the actual tsunami was much smaller and no catastrophic damage was caused.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges in combating AI-generated disinformation related to natural disasters, as similar misleading content continues to be distributed online during crisis events.
Want to know more? AI, technology, digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
