Fact Check: Photo of Kamala Harris and Jeffrey Epstein Embracing on Beach is Fake
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Claim:
A photo authentically shows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris embracing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on a beach.
Rating:
After U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced her campaign to become the next president of the United States in July 2024, rumors about her ran rampant. Example: A photo of what appeared to be Harris once embracing deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein circulated on X. On July 24, 2024, a user shared:
(X user @MJK10797588)
YouTuber Defiantly Human then posted a video correctly stating the photo was clearly generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI):
Using isitai.com, we did our own analysis of the photo using its AI-generated image detector and found the image was 99.64% AI, or most assuredly fake.
(isitai.com)
According to the website's "How It Works" segment:
Our AI detection tool analyzes images to determine whether they were likely generated by a human or an AI algorithm. The tool works by using machine learning models to examine various features of the image, such as color patterns, shapes, and textures, and then compares them to patterns typically found in human-generated images or AI-generated images.
The machine learning models were trained using a large dataset of images that were labeled as either human or AI-generated. Through this training process, the models were able to learn to recognize patterns that are indicative of either human or AI-generated images.
In addition, we ran an AI image verification tool on the picture via Winston AI, which returned very similar results:
(Winston AI)
We have thus rated this image as "Fake."
We previously reported on another digitally altered photo of Epstein and Harris posing for a photo at a red carpet event. We've also debunked a digitally altered video of Harris and various quotes attributed to the vice president.
Sources:
Defiantly Human. Kamala and Jeffrey. 2024. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSXsXs9HY4.
Eifert, Sean. "Kamala Harris Never Said 'Today Is Today and Yesterday Was Today Yesterday.'" Snopes, 20 July 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kamala-harris-today-is-today-speech/.
---. "Photo Shows Kamala Harris with Jeffrey Epstein?" Snopes, 22 July 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/harris-epstein-photo/.
"Https://Isitai.Com/Ai-Image-Detector/." Is It AI?, https://isitai.com/ai-image-detector/. Accessed 25 July 2024.
Ibrahim, Nur. "Did Kamala Harris Omit Right to 'Life' When Referencing the Declaration of Independence?" Snopes, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kamala-harris-right-to-life/.
---. "Did Kamala Harris Say Protests Are 'Not Gonna Let Up, and They Should Not'?" Snopes, 7 Oct. 2020, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kamala-harris-protests/.
Login | Winston AI. https://app.gowinston.ai/login. Accessed 25 July 2024.
Sullivan, Helen. "'We Choose Freedom': Kamala Harris Campaign Launches First Ad." The Guardian, 25 July 2024. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/25/we-choose-freedom-kamala-harris-campaign-launches-first-ad.
Wrona, Aleksandra. "Harris Once Said, 'Ukraine Is a Country in Europe. It Exists Next to Another Country Called Russia'?" Snopes, 22 July 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/harris-ukraine-russia/.
