Real Video, False Claim: Disinformation in the Colombian Elections

The Colombian elections, held in two rounds—the first on May 31, 2026, and the second on June 21, 2026—were won by Abelardo de la Espriella, a right-wing candidate supported by U.S. President Donald Trump. Throughout the election process and its aftermath, many people posted on various social media platforms about the elections and their results. While some of these posts reflected factual information, others contained misleading content created for disinformation purposes.

One example of such misleading content is a video posted on X on June 22, 2026. The 13-second video was shared by SALVARANM, who claimed that supporters of candidate Iván Cepeda Castro burned Abelardo de la Espriella’s ballots in Plaza Mayor in Medellín. The video was viewed more than 250,400 times and received over 4,800 likes.

 

The video shared on X was first examined to determine its authenticity. To this end, it was analyzed using HIVE Moderation. The analysis revealed that the video contains real footage and was not generated by artificial intelligence. In other words, it was assessed as depicting a real event.

To better understand the context of the event and verify the accuracy of the claims, both Grok and Gemini were used for further analysis. Both tools concluded that while the video is authentic, the claims made in the post are false and misleading. Gemini specifically noted that the small burning object seen in the video is not an official ballot, pointing out that ballots used in Colombia are significantly larger.

Similarly, Grok found that although the video contains real footage, there is no evidence to support the claims made in the post. According to Grok, the assertion that the video shows ballots being burned cannot be verified, and the footage is being misrepresented.

In conclusion, the video contains real footage and does not appear to be AI-generated. However, investigations show that it does not depict the burning of election ballots belonging to Abelardo de la Espriella, as claimed. This example demonstrates that even authentic footage can be used to mislead the public when it is presented with false or unverified claims. It is therefore crucial to verify not only the authenticity of such footage but also the accuracy of the claims that accompany it.

Video Allegedly Showing Recent Attacks in Ukraine Is Actually From 2017

On June 21, 2026, a 19-second video was posted on X by @MesutUdaySaddam. The post claimed that the video showed Russia’s recent missile attacks on Ukraine on June 21 and the resulting explosions. The video has been viewed more than 81,300 times and has received 400 likes.

 

The video was investigated for authenticity because it contained elements that could suggest it was created using artificial intelligence. It was analyzed using Grok, Google SynthID, and HIVE Moderation tools. All three tools confirmed that the footage was real and not AI-generated. In other words, the video shared on X was determined to depict an actual event.

However, analyses by both Grok and Gemini indicate that the video does not show recent Russian attacks on Ukraine. Instead, it contains footage from an event that occurred in 2017 or earlier.

To determine the video’s actual time frame, it was further examined using Google’s reverse image search. This analysis revealed that the footage is from a fire and explosion that occurred on March 23, 2017, at a military ammunition depot in Balakliya, in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.

In conclusion, the video is not AI-generated and contains real footage. However, it does not depict the Russian missile attacks on Ukraine on June 21, 2026, as claimed. Presenting footage from a different event in 2017 as if it were current demonstrates that the content is misleading. This example illustrates that even authentic footage can be used for disinformation when it is shared with incorrect information about the date, location, or event.

The Video Allegedly Showing Captured Ukrainian Soldiers Was Generated Using Artificial Intelligence

On June 9, 2026, a 59-second video was posted on X by @AdrianoValui. The video purportedly shows Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner by Russian forces. Within four hours of being shared, the footage had been viewed more than 28,000 times, received 573 likes, and was reposted 192 times.

 

 

However, subsequent investigation revealed that the video was not authentic and had been generated using artificial intelligence technologies. The authenticity of the footage was examined using Grok, the Media Analysis, Verification, and Retrieval Group (MeVer), and HIVE Moderation.

Initial analysis conducted with Grok suggested that the video was not genuine, indicating that it had likely been generated using AI and may have been circulated for pro-Russian propaganda purposes. Similarly, the assessment carried out by MeVer identified multiple visual inconsistencies commonly associated with AI-generated content, further supporting the conclusion that the video had been synthetically produced.

The footage was subsequently analyzed using HIVE Moderation, which confirmed that it had been generated using artificial intelligence, consistent with the findings from Grok and MeVer.

 

Moreover, the visible TikTok logo in the video indicates that the content was not originally posted on X and had previously circulated on other social media platforms. A reverse image search was therefore conducted, revealing that the video was first shared on TikTok on November 4, 2025, by “liliakv.” It was later posted on Facebook on December 16, 2025, by a user named “Petruss Krsska,” and continued to circulate through reposts across TikTok and Facebook on various dates.

 

 

In conclusion, the video allegedly depicting Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces was generated using artificial intelligence technologies. The fact that the footage circulated across multiple platforms for several months demonstrates how AI-generated disinformation can persist over extended periods and be repeatedly presented as authentic. Particularly during times of war and conflict, it is essential to verify the source and accuracy of visual content using reliable sources and technical detection tools.

 

If you suspect that a video, image, or audio file has been created using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology and would like free assistance in verifying its authenticity, you may send the link to the content or the file itself to allaboutdeepfake@gmail.com.

 

Different Wars, Same Fake Video

On June 8, 2026, an 11-second video was posted on X by @IsraelSpoofX. The accompanying claim stated that Israeli air defense systems had detected and destroyed five Iranian warplanes. The video was viewed more than 1,600,000 times, received over 4,000 likes, and was reposted 926 times.

 

 

The same video was posted again on June 9, 2026, this time by @RussianArmy_ on X. However, the June 9 post claimed that the footage showed Russian air defense systems detecting and destroying five Ukrainian warplanes en route to attack Russia. Although both posts used identical footage, they attributed it to different conflicts and countries. The June 9 post received over 145,000 views, more than 1,400 likes, and 439 reposts.

However, the video shared by these two users and associated with two separate wars is not authentic; it was generated using artificial intelligence. The authenticity of the footage was examined using Grok, Google SynthID, and HIVE Moderation.

Initial analysis conducted with Grok indicated that both the video and the accompanying claims were not credible. Similarly, Google SynthID identified multiple visual and physical inconsistencies characteristic of AI-generated content. These findings strongly suggested that the footage had been synthetically produced.

 

The video was subsequently analyzed using HIVE Moderation, which confirmed that it was AI-generated, consistent with the results obtained from Grok and Google SynthID.

 

 

In conclusion, the video allegedly depicting Israel destroying Iranian warplanes and Russia destroying Ukrainian warplanes was generated using artificial intelligence. The recirculation of identical AI-generated content under different geopolitical narratives illustrates how easily disinformation can spread across social media platforms. This case once again underscores the importance of verifying visual content—particularly in relation to international conflicts and military developments—using reliable sources and technical detection tools.

 

 

If you suspect that a video, image, or audio file has been created using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology and would like free assistance in verifying its authenticity, you may send the link to the content or the file itself to allaboutdeepfake@gmail.com.

Images and Video Purporting to Show Iran Capturing Israeli and American Soldiers Were Generated Using Artificial Intelligence

On April 12, 2026, a 36-second video related to the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States was posted on X under the username @MariaAlkaff_. The video purportedly shows Iranian soldiers capturing Israeli soldiers and depicts the treatment of the captured personnel. The post received 337 comments, was reposted 1,300 times, garnered 3,200 likes, and accumulated approximately 117,000 views.

 

However, the video is not authentic and was generated using artificial intelligence. It was initially analyzed using Google SynthID, which identified multiple indicators suggesting AI generation. In particular, inconsistencies in content, contextual coherence, and visual accuracy indicated that the footage had been produced using various AI-based tools.

In addition to SynthID, the video was examined using HIVE Moderation, another AI detection platform. The results from HIVE Moderation corroborated the initial findings, confirming that the video was generated through artificial intelligence.

 

 

A similar image was also shared on Facebook and Instagram on April 3, 2026. The accompanying claim alleged that the image depicted an F-35 pilot shot down by Iran on April 3, 2026, during interrogation.

Like the video shared on April 12, this image was also generated using artificial intelligence. Analysis conducted with SynthID revealed several anomalies—such as irregular physical features, lighting inconsistencies, and unusual environmental details within the interrogation setting—indicating AI production. Further examination using HIVE Moderation determined that the image was 92.5% likely to have been AI-generated.

 

In conclusion, both the image shared on April 3 and the video posted on April 12 are not authentic; both were created using artificial intelligence.

If you suspect that a video, image, or audio file has been created using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology and would like free assistance in verifying its authenticity, you may send the link to the content or the file itself to allaboutdeepfake@gmail.com.

Real Video, False Claim: Tel Aviv Post Contains Disinformation

On May 18, 2026, a 25-second video was posted on X by @IranNewsFeedX. The post claimed that the footage showed damage caused by an explosion in Tel Aviv.

The video received more than 46,800 views, over 2,300 likes, and more than 995 reposts. To determine whether the footage had been generated using artificial intelligence, it was analyzed using Google SynthID and HIVE Moderation. Both tools indicated that the video was authentic and not AI-generated. The footage clearly displays a sign reading “Royal Yak.” However, further investigation found no business by that name operating in Tel Aviv. Moreover, no reputable news sources reported an explosion in Tel Aviv on the date the video was shared.

 

To verify the origin of the footage, selected frames were examined using Google’s reverse image search. The analysis revealed that the images were taken from an explosion and subsequent fire that occurred on January 16, 2025, at a casino located in Plaza Cinépolis in Culiacán, Mexico.

In conclusion, while the video contains authentic footage and was not generated using artificial intelligence, it does not depict an explosion in Tel Aviv. Instead, the video shows a real event that occurred in a different country and at a different time. By presenting genuine footage in a misleading context, the post constitutes an example of disinformation. This case demonstrates that even authentic visual content can be manipulated through false attribution, underscoring the importance of verifying not only whether images are real but also where and when they were recorded.

 

 

If you suspect that a video, image, or audio file has been created using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology and would like free assistance in verifying its authenticity, you may send the link to the content or the file itself to allaboutdeepfake@gmail.com.