Below are 12 examples of disinformation from around the world, verified and selected by France24 for each month of 2023. These efforts come amid a growing problem of misinformation on social media.

January: Fake News About a Lost Civilization in Antarctica

Sometimes fake or misleading news is not tied to a current event, but to a historical one. In January 2023, images began circulating online claiming that an ancient civilization had thrived in Antarctica. But the images of this “civilization” were actually generated by AI.

February: A year filled with misinformation about the war in Ukraine

This February marks the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It also marks an explosion of disinformation on online platforms, especially social media and sharing platforms. France24 has debunked 115 pieces of disinformation between February 24, 2022 and February 24, 2023, related to both sides.

March: Truth and lies mixed up in Paris riots

A photo of a young French protester being arrested by riot police has gone viral on social network X (formerly Twitter), with many speculating that it was AI-generated. But France24 has verified that it is indeed a real photo. It just goes to show that too much misinformation is making us question everything, including the truth.

April: Fake images and videos of clashes in Sudan

Fighting between the army and paramilitary forces has ravaged Sudan since April 15, 2023, resulting in civilian casualties. Amid the crisis, many social media posts claim to document events in Sudan using video as evidence. But many of the videos and images have been doctored or taken out of context.

May: Turkish elections hit by a deluge of misinformation

Türkiye's May 14 election has also been the target of a barrage of disinformation. During the campaign, images were posted online that were manipulated or taken out of context for various purposes.

June: No sign of 500,000 migrants 'ready to invade Italy'

In late May and June, an Italian far-right account shared images of a so-called “army” of illegal migrants, allegedly en route to Italy from Libya. The information turned out to be completely fabricated, using photos taken from other events.

July: Misinformation further destabilizes French society

Images of the riots in Paris following the shooting death of 17-year-old Nahel by police on June 27 have been circulating around the world. On social media, some anti-immigrant or far-right accounts have posted false information about the riots in an attempt to discredit France’s immigration policy, causing further tensions in French society.

August: Videos distorting the coup in Niger

Following the July 26 military coup in Niger, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued an ultimatum demanding a return to constitutional order. Amid fears of an imminent military intervention, many trolls posted videos online claiming that ECOWAS troops were approaching the Niger border. But it was all fake.

September: A flood of misinformation about migrants in Italy

The arrival of thousands of people, many of them from sub-Saharan Africa, on the Italian island of Lampedusa in September sparked a wave of misinformation, with accounts posting videos on social media that denigrated the migration policies of Italy and other European countries.

Specifically, images purporting to show migrants being violent or “dancing” with aid workers… Many of them are untrue and have malicious intent.

October: Misinformation about the war in Mali

After the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) launched an offensive to retake territories occupied by militant groups belonging to the Permanent Strategic Framework (PSF), misinformation has emerged targeting both sides, causing confusion among the public.

November: Israeli weapons on cargo ship seized by Houthi?

On November 19, Houthi rebels in Yemen hijacked an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Red Sea, taking 25 crew members hostage. Some social media users later shared a photo suggesting that the ship was carrying weapons. But the photo was pre-existing and had nothing to do with the incident.

December: President Zelenskyy buys mansion in Florida?

A number of false claims about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy buying a house in Florida and obtaining US citizenship have been circulating on social media in recent weeks. Despite the well-acknowledged problem of corruption in the Ukrainian military, the claims are completely false.

Hoang Hai (according to France24, Yahoo)