Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Photos of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh with their newborn.
Fact
Photos found to be manipulated.
Actor couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announced the birth of their first child on Sunday sending social media into a frenzy. As users poured in blessings, and congratulatory messages for the new parents, photographs purportedly showing them with their newborn went viral online. Newschecker inspected three such photographs, and found them to be manipulated.
Several users shared an image (hereafter referred to as Image 1) allegedly showing Padukone holding her child.
Such posts can be seen here and here.
Another photograph (hereafter referred to as Image 2) purportedly showing the actor with her child went viral online. A third image (hereafter referred to as Image 3) allegedly cradling their newborn was also shared on social media platforms.
Such posts can be seen here and here.
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Fact Check/Verification
A Google search for “Deepika Padukone,” “newborn” and “photograph” did not yield any credible results indicating that neither the actors, nor their teams, released any such images.
We then looked up Image 1 on Google lens which led us to a CNN Indonesia report from March 2021 titled “7 Danger Signs Mothers Experience After Giving Birth (translated via Google)” It featured a similar photograph used for representative purposes, credited to iStockphoto/FatCamera.
After comparing the viral Image 1 with the representative photograph, we found them to be identical- except for the actor’s face, indicating manipulation.
Furthermore, a Google lens search on Image 2 yielded a Pinterest post by @тнeoғғιcιalangιe featuring a similar photograph. A comparing between the two can be seen below
A Google lens search on Image 3 led us to an Instagram post by South African cricketer Quinton De Kock, dated January 6, 2022. It featured a photograph of the cricketer and his wife with their newborn in an identical frame as the viral image.
On comparing Image 3 with De Kock’s photograph, we found that the viral image purportedly showing Singh and Padukone with their newborn to be manipulated.
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Viral Photos Face Swapped
We noticed that the faces of the actors have been superimposed on the subjects of the viral images to falsely show them with their newborn child. Notably, multiple AI-based tools enable users to “swap” or “exchange” faces in videos and photographs. This technique, known as “face swapping” has been used in viral images as well, replacing the faces of the original subjects with those of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.
Newschecker used such online platforms, like this, this and this, to ‘face swap’ Deepika Padukone in Images 1& 2, and Ranveer Singh in Image 3. The results can be seen below.
From Politics To Entertainment: Face Swap Deception Creates Buzz
The actor couple is not the only victim of ‘face swap’ misinformation, from politicians Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee to celebrities like Rowan Atkinson and Rashmika Mandanna have been targeted by such techniques.
While Gandhi’s face was morphed on an image of a girl smoking a cigarette, an altered photo was shared to purportedly show Banerjee in her youth.
Such tools were also used to place Atkinson’s face on a photo of a bedridden elderly man to show the ‘Mr Bean’ actor in a fragile state.
A face-swap deepfake showing actor Rashmika Mandanna in a red bikini, posing near a waterfall also went viral earlier this year. Other Bollywood actors such as Kajol and Alia Bhatt have also been a victim of such deepfakes.
These platforms also enable users to modify the facial expressions of people seen in the video/photograph. For instance, a manipulated photograph showing the US Secret Service Officer ‘smiling’ after assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July was shared to claim that the shooting was staged.
Also Read: Fake LIC Circular Announcing Withdrawal Of All Plans On September 30 Goes Viral
Conclusion
Hence, viral photographs showing Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh with their newborn are manipulated.
Result: Altered Photo
Sources
Report By CNN Indonesia, Dated March 10, 2021
Pinterest Post By @тнeoғғιcιalangιe
Instagram Post By @qdk_12, Dated January 6, 2022
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
