A recent image circulating on social media, claiming to show residents of Siaya holding placards in support of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and against President William Ruto, has been found to be doctored. The image depicts a group of people standing in an open field, holding up placards with various messages. One person in the crowd is wearing an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party cap, while another individual holds a yellow placard in support of Sifuna.
An investigation by PesaCheck, a fact-checking initiative, revealed that the image had been altered. A Google reverse image search led to a similar image posted on Facebook by ODM director of communications, Philip Etale, with the text "In Siaya…". However, the two placards in the images have different writings, and visual elements match those in the image under investigation.
Further analysis using Fotoforensics Error Level Analysis (ELA) showed evidence of editing in the image under scrutiny. Additionally, Meta has flagged similar content as AI-generated elsewhere on the platform. The image in question does not contain the label, raising concerns about its authenticity.
The image is part of a larger trend of misinformation on social media platforms. PesaCheck is working to sort fact from fiction by partnering with Facebook and other social media platforms to examine content marked as potential misinformation. The public can report suspicious content on Facebook, and PesaCheck provides deeper insight and context to posts seen in social media feeds.
PesaCheck's fact-checking methodology involves verifying information through various means, including image analysis and research. The organisation has been working to help the public separate fact from fiction in public pronouncements about numbers that shape the world. PesaCheck is East Africa's first public finance fact-checking initiative, co-founded by Catherine Gicheru and Justin Arenstein.
The fact-check was written by PesaCheck fact-checker Naomi Wanjiku and edited by senior copy editor Mary Mutisya and chief copy editor Stephen Ndegwa. The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck managing editor Doreen Wainainah. PesaCheck is incubated by Code for Africa, the continent's largest civic technology and data journalism accelerator.
The image claiming to show Siaya residents endorsing Edwin Sifuna has been debunked as altered. This fact-check is part of PesaCheck's ongoing efforts to verify information and provide accurate context to the public. Key to this effort is the collaboration with social media platforms and the public's role in reporting suspicious content.
Key points
- The image claiming to show Siaya residents endorsing Edwin Sifuna and opposing President William Ruto has been found to be altered.
- PesaCheck used Google reverse image search, Fotoforensics ELA, and research to verify the authenticity of the image.
- The fact-checking initiative is part of a larger effort to combat misinformation on social media platforms.
