Toronto residents are grappling with the aftermath of a recent historic snowstorm, but amidst the chaos, fake videos circulating online are causing confusion.
While some captivating winter scenes shared on social media are real, certain accounts known for producing videos using artificial intelligence (AI) have been spreading misleading clips of a snow-covered Toronto. These fabricated videos, some of which lack an AI disclaimer, are gaining traction following the recent storm.
DEBUNKING THE VIDEOS:
One video on TikTok depicts a stranded TTC streetcar partially buried under snow, garnering around 89,000 views. However, several visual discrepancies suggest it’s likely a fake, such as inconsistencies in the streetcar’s design and the presence of unconnected trolley wires in the background.
Another series of videos from the same TikTok account show snowplows crashing into cars and spraying bystanders with snow. These videos exhibit various errors, like distorted national symbols and incorrect traffic movements, indicating they are likely AI-generated.
In a separate video shared on Facebook, a snowmobiler is seen riding through a deserted downtown Toronto street post-snowstorm. Despite the convincing visuals, subtle details suggest the video’s artificial nature, as the snowmobiler’s tracks remain undisturbed and fail to create new imprints in the snow.
The proliferation of these misleading videos underscores the importance of verifying sources and questioning the authenticity of online content, especially in the age of advanced technology and digital manipulation.