Filipino netizens are circulating a video on Facebook supposedly of airstrikes that caused explosions and infrastructure damage in Iran amid the country’s intensifying conflict with Israel. The footage was created through artificial intelligence.
Posted as early as June 16 by two FB users, the video carried an overlay text that read: “IRAN Now – This is real.”
A now-defunct post by another FB page on June 17 also bore the video with the same superimposed text. Its caption said:
“Akala ko s apelikula lang ngyayari, totoo pala” (I thought this only happens in the movies, turns out it’s real).
A reverse image search shows that earlier versions of the video were published by TikTok user jinjini37 and an FB user on June 14 and June 15, respectively. These copies, including those shared by Filipino netizens, show no signs or even disclosures of AI use in the video.
AI detection tool Hive Moderation flagged the videos uploaded by Filipino FB users and an FB page as likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content, with aggregate scores of 99.9% and 86.9%, respectively.
VERA Files Fact Check also spotted some red flags in the video, indicating the use of AI such as the sudden explosion that erupted in the sky without any visible source and cars that strangely disappear and reappear in the frame.
Filipino netizens started to circulate the AI-generated video amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, after the former launched attacks on June 13 targeting Iran’s nuclear and military structure.
Following Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, the Philippines urged “concerned countries to de-escalate and follow the path of peace.”
Based on the June 17 update from the Philippine Embassy in Israel, there were no reported deaths within the Filipino community, but seven nationals were injured, including one in critical condition, after the missile attacks.
Published by two FB users and page YaYa Nonzky Vlog (created on July 4, 2023), the posts bearing the AI-generated video have collectively garnered 90,215 reactions, 7,905 comments, 11,625 shares, and 17.6 million views as of writing.
