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
Video of Sundar Pichai endorsing investment platform Google Invest for Indian citizens.
Fact
No such announcement by Google. Video found to be a deepfake.
A video of Google CEO Sundar Pichai purportedly endorsing an investment platform, ‘Google Invest’ specifically for the Indian citizens has surfaced on Facebook. Newschecker found the video to be a deepfake, and that no such financial platform has been announced by the tech giant.
In the video, Pichai is purportedly heard saying, “… Google invest is not just a platform, it is your personal key to financial independence and stability. With our revolutionary technology, you can easily grow your savings from the comfort of your home. Be part of the new wave of success available only to Indian citizens. Just think, with an investment of just INR 20,000 you can earn a steady income of INR 180,000 per month.. Let Google invest be your trusted partner in the world of finance ….”
The full video can be seen below
Also Read: Video Of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Endorsing Investment Project Is Actually A Deepfake
Fact Check/Verification
A keyword search for “Google invest,” “Sundar Pichai” and “Indian citizens” did not yield any credible results on such an investment opportunity offered by the tech giant.
We then looked up the keyframes of the clip on Google lens which yielded a video by YouTube Originals, dated 8 June 2020, titled “Sundar Pichai Commencement Speech | Dear Class Of 2020.”
“You will prevail.” Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, delivers a message of hope to graduates in the Class of 2020. It first appeared in Dear Class of 2020, a virtual commencement celebration bringing together inspirational leaders and artists to celebrate graduates, their families, and their communities,” its description stated.
On comparing both the YouTube video with the viral footage, we found Pichai’s attire, hand movements, and the background to be the same. In the YouTube video, however, Pichai does not mention any such investment scheme, rather speaks about his life journey. The transcript of his address did not refer to any such investment opportunity either.
Also Read: ScamWatch – From Businessmen To Actors, Scammers Impersonate Celebrities To Dupe Public
Further, after careful analysis of the viral footage, we found the area under his lower lip to be a little blurred, indicating manipulation.
The Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), of The Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA), of which Newschecker is a part, verified the video through True Media, an AI detection tool, which found “substantial evidence of manipulation.” The tool also found substantial evidence (100% confidence) that the audio was generated using AI and further pointed out substantial evidence (51% confidence) of face manipulation.
They also looked it up on Hive AI’s audio tool, and found confidence scores for 60 to 130 seconds all indicating a high probability of A.I. tampering. Traces of the deepfake element in the video was also detected.
Conclusion
Hence, the viral video of Sundar Pichai endorsing an investment platform for Indian citizens in a deepfake.
Result: Altered Video
Sources
Video By YouTube Originals, Dated 8 June 2020
DAU Analysis
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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.
