AFP Canada

No, synthetic marijuana is not causing people to bleed from their eyes

Published on 23 January 2019 at 02:22

A widely shared online article asserts that several individuals in the US state of Illinois are bleeding from their eyes after consuming synthetic marijuana. While authorities in Illinois reported more than 160 people who suffered “severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids” in a 2018 epidemic, this did not include bleeding from the eyes. The photo used to illustrate the article actually shows a Hawaiian woman suffering from a rare disease.

No, Justin Trudeau did not take a selfie next to a burning Canadian flag

Published on 7 January 2019 at 20:11Updated on 8 January 2019 at 00:48

A widely shared photo depicts Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau smiling while posing in front of a burning Canadian flag. The image is a montage of two photos, one from a 2010 protest in Toronto, and another from Trudeau’s visit to a relative’s gravestone in November 2018 in Singapore.

No, this photo does not show street violence in Brazil, England or the United States

Published on 19 December 2018 at 22:37Updated on 7 February 2019 at 17:05

A photo depicting a white man assaulted by a black man has been repeatedly used out of context in online articles and social media posts. A reverse image search shows it was taken in November 2009 in Paris. A witness to the scene and AFP reporting from the time show that the man in the photo who was assaulted was a journalist trying to film clashes after a cash give-away was cancelled.

The false tale of the bullfighter’s epiphany

Published on 13 December 2018 at 19:25Updated on 10 January 2019 at 12:17

A photo of a matador facing a bull has recently resurfaced and is presented as the exact moment that led Alvaro Munera to end his bullfighting career, upon realizing the cruelty of his sport. However, the real Munera ended his career after a severe injury, and the matador in the photo is intentionally striking a dangerous pose to challenge the bull.

No, photos from 'yellow vest' protests were not framed by journalists to look more severe

Published on 12 December 2018 at 00:14Updated on 12 December 2018 at 00:14

Tens of thousands of people shared a juxtaposition of two photos from the recent "yellow vest" anti-government protests in Paris, with the caption "Perspective matters." The intent was to condemn media manipulation, but the two photos were taken at two different times, in two different places, and it is not certain whether photojournalists were involved.

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