Fact Check: Image of Explosion Near Pentagon Is Fake
An image is circulating online purporting to show the aftermath of an explosion near the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. The image is fake and has been digitally generated. No explosion has recently occurred at or near the Pentagon building.
BREAKING: Explosion near Pentagon pic.twitter.com/q49yTVWhR8
— whalechart (@WhaleChart) May 22, 2023
The Arlington County, Virginia, fire department responded to the image circulating via Twitter on Monday morning, announcing that “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.”
The Dispatch Fact Check has not been able to ascertain the source of the image in question, but online observers have identified the flaws in the image that betray its provenance as a product of artificial intelligence software:.
Confident that this picture claiming to show an "explosion near the pentagon" is AI generated.
Check out the frontage of the building, and the way the fence melds into the crowd barriers. There's also no other images, videos or people posting as first hand witnesses. pic.twitter.com/t1YKQabuNL— Nick Waters (@N_Waters89) May 22, 2023
The Dispatch Fact Check has contacted the Department of Defense for comment.
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