Posted on 05/22/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
An AI-generated photo that supposedly showed an explosion near the Pentagon went viral on Monday, with its spread through social media leading to a shorter selloff of US stocks.
The fabricated image showed a cloud of smoke outside the Pentagon and was posted by a Russia’s RT state news outlet and other accounts who claimed it was accurate, according to the New York Post.
RT subsequently deleted the photo.
The image was quickly debunked by the Arlington County Fire Department.
“@PFPAOfficial [Pentagon Force Protection Agency] and the ACFD are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon,” the fire department tweeted.“There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.”
US stocks made a fast rebound after the image was publicized as fake, according to the Post.
Users who called out the photo as AI-generated noted warped bits of fencing and other indicators it was not real.