Weekends provide an opportunity for reflection amid the chaos of misinformation. This week, focus is on the far-right AfD party in Germany utilizing AI to spread false narratives during elections. Additionally, misleading images on social media exploit emotional stories about the elderly, often for malicious purposes. In the U.S., fact-checking reveals that claims of exorbitant aid to Ukraine by former President Trump are exaggerated, with actual U.S. support significantly lower.
The Weekend: A Time for Reflection
The weekend presents a perfect opportunity to pause and reflect. Throughout the week, the political landscape is often filled with mixed messages and a surge of misinformation that inundates our screens. To help you navigate through this confusion, we bring you a weekly roundup of news verifications. Every Saturday, we highlight three key verifications to keep you informed and aware.
Far-Right Misinformation in Germany
This Sunday, February 23, Germany will conduct its federal elections. While the Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, faces challenges, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is emerging as a significant contender, currently holding second place in polls. Recently, the far-right AfD has gained attention for its controversial tactics, including enlisting support from notable figures like Elon Musk. Alarmingly, they have also resorted to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to disseminate misleading information during the campaign.
In a striking example, a faction of the AfD shared an AI-generated video on Instagram that depicted disturbing scenarios, including black men attacking young white women and left-leaning politicians being arrested. This is just one instance of how the party is blurring the lines between reality and fabricated content, utilizing various multimedia elements to manipulate public perception.
Beware of Misleading Images on Social Media
While scrolling through Facebook, you might have encountered poignant images of elderly individuals appearing forlorn in nursing homes. These posts typically feature heart-wrenching narratives: an elderly person sitting alone with a bland meal, seemingly forgotten by their family on their special day. Captions often aim to evoke sympathy, recounting tales of abandonment and loneliness.
However, these emotionally charged stories are often generated through AI, constituting a ‘boomer trap’ designed to mislead users into believing these fabricated scenes are real. The motives behind such posts can vary, from gaining visibility to potentially setting up scams. Unscrupulous individuals may exploit the comments section to identify vulnerable users and subsequently reach out with private messages aimed at financial exploitation.
Fact-Checking U.S. Aid to Ukraine
In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, former President Trump has been spreading misinformation. He recently claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had an alarmingly low approval rating and stated that the U.S. has contributed an astonishing $350 billion in aid to Ukraine, outpacing European support.
To clarify these claims, we consulted the ‘Ukraine Support Tracker,’ a resource created by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. According to their findings, from January 2022 through the end of December 2024, the U.S. has committed approximately €114.2 billion (around $119.1 billion) in aid to Ukraine, with an additional promise of €4.8 billion ($5 billion). This figure is significantly lower than the $350 billion asserted by Trump.
If you have questions or come across information you believe is misleading, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also connect with us on X, where our team engages under the handle @verif_TF1LCI.