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A video appearing to show people collecting iPhone boxes from the Strait of Hormuz is AI-generated, Full Fact says. The fact-checker found an invisible SynthID watermark and visual glitches, including boxes that multiply and a man who appears to gain shoes mid-scene.
Why it mattersThe clip circulated alongside claims about a Singaporean cargo ship sinking. Full Fact says authentic footage shows spilled cargo and there have been reports of people retrieving goods, but it could not verify what the ship was carrying. The iPhone-box video is not genuine. That mix of real events and fabricated detail is exactly where synthetic footage can mislead: the backdrop lends the invention a head start.
Discuss: What should platforms do when AI fakes attach themselves to real breaking news: label them prominently, or prioritise removing them?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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