A Facebook post purporting to show the cover of a book about Ethiopian Field Marshal Birhanu Jula's life and military career has been found to be altered. The image, shared on social media, features an Amharic title that translates to "Blood is his breakfast." However, a reverse image search by PesaCheck, a fact-checking initiative based in East Africa, revealed that the image is doctored. The original poster, published by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), features a different title, "Victory is His Breakfast."
Field Marshal Birhanu Jula is the chief of general staff of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF). The alleged book cover has been circulating on social media following news reports of the official launch of his biography. However, PesaCheck's analysis, including the use of FotoForensics Error Level Analysis (ELA), confirmed that the image has been manipulated. The Ethiopian Defence Force's verified Facebook page and AMN-English also shared the original poster, further verifying that the circulating image is not authentic.
PesaCheck is part of a series of fact-checking initiatives aimed at curbing misinformation on social media platforms. By partnering with Facebook and other platforms, third-party fact-checking organizations like PesaCheck help to verify the accuracy of content. This includes examining images, videos, and text posts that may be misleading or false. The goal is to provide the public with deeper insight and context into the content they see in their social media feeds.
The original poster, published by EBC, features a different title and design compared to the altered image. The verified Facebook page of the Ethiopian Defence Force and AMN-English also shared the authentic poster, highlighting the importance of cross-checking information on social media. PesaCheck's fact-checking process involves verifying information through multiple sources, including reverse image searches and analysis of metadata.
PesaCheck is East Africa's first public finance fact-checking initiative, co-founded by Catherine Gicheru and Justin Arenstein. The organization is incubated by Code for Africa, a civic technology and data journalism accelerator. PesaCheck's work focuses on verifying public pronouncements about numbers that shape the world, with an emphasis on public finances and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) public services.
The fact-checking process involves a team of experts, including senior copy editors and managing editors. In this case, the article was written by a PesaCheck fact-checker based in Ethiopia, edited by senior copy editor Mary Mutisya and chief copy editor Stephen Ndegwa, and approved for publication by managing editor Doreen Wainainah. PesaCheck's methodology for fact-checking involves a thorough examination of content and verification through multiple sources.
The organization invites the public to report suspected fake news or false information on Facebook. PesaCheck provides information on its methodology for fact-checking and encourages the public to engage with its work. By verifying the accuracy of content, PesaCheck aims to promote a culture of fact-based discourse and informed decision-making.
Key points
- - The image of Field Marshal Birhanu Jula's book cover circulating on social media is altered. - PesaCheck used reverse image search and FotoForensics Error Level Analysis (ELA) to confirm the image is manipulated. - The original poster, published by EBC, features a different title, "Victory is His Breakfast".
