Fake images of Hurricane Helene victims fuel misinformation in the US

Artificial intelligence-generated images showing alleged victims of Hurricane Helene and the devastation it caused have taken over social media in the United States. Forbes Saturday (5). Two of these exhibit one Child and dog rescued from floodgained more importance.

In viral photos, Girl holding a puppy appears to be crying after being rescued amid floods. He is wearing a life jacket and is on a boat leaving the flooded area, and in one of the images it is possible to see another boat with rescuers behind it.

Considering the situation, it didn’t take long for these images to go viral and garner thousands of shares and likes. Utah Senator Mike Lee, who believes these are real used them to criticize the federal administration, removed post from X after being warned about the montage.

The deadliest hurricane in the United States since Katrina in 2005, Helene left a trail of destruction wherever it passed. so far More than 200 deaths recorded and many people missingin addition to cities without electricity.

Images created by artificial intelligence, according to experts

The viral incident caught the attention of forensic expert Lars Daniel, who, after analyzing the two images, said: “I can say with certainty that these emotionally evocative images are either heavily edited or completely fake.”. According to him, a closer look is enough to discover the signs of deepfake.

In one of the photos, a girl escaped from the flood caused by the crossing of the Helene River. He had an extra finger on one handAs the professionals point out. This is one of the main signs of photos created by artificial intelligence, because technology can cause such exaggerations, despite all the advances.

Daniel also emphasizes: The color of the puppy’s mouth is different in the imagesIt appears light in one and darker in the other. The shape and color of the boat also differ in the two contexts, strengthening the possibility of arrangement or assembly.

Problems with fake disaster images

Frequent playing of AI-made images, Reducing public trust in legitimate news and information sourcesAccording to the expert. Situations like these related to Hurricane Helene still impact the delivery of important disaster updates.

Contact with fake content also has psychological effects on people who initially feel emotionally close to the supposed victims of tragedies. After it was revealed that the images were manipulated, These individuals lose their ability to deal with real criseswarns the expert.

There is also the risk that: Use of deepfake in cyber attacksMany manipulated images are accompanied by phishing links. By clicking on these, the Internet user can be persuaded to provide personal data or to send money to fundraising campaigns supposedly for the victims.

AI-generated photos also serve to fuel conspiracy theories and influence political debate. As highlighted by Rolling stonefake images of girl with her dog Shared by Donald Trump supporters Criticizing Joe Biden’s alleged lack of action inside relationship with hurricane.

Harm to real victims

Additionally, as Daniel explains, the dissemination of these images directly impacts the actual victims of Hurricane Helene. Many people who face insecurity Stop providing aid and participating in fundraisersBecoming insensitive to the suffering of others.

“Instead of coming together to help, Questioning whether the crisis is as bad as it seemsThis leads to slower action and fewer resources for those in need,” the expert warned. According to him, the increase in AI-powered deepfakes risks greatly damaging future disaster responses.