AI-generated images falsely shared as 'proof the US faked Moon landings'
- Published on July 26, 2024 at 10:38
- Updated on July 26, 2024 at 10:42
- 3 min read
- By Tommy WANG, AFP Hong Kong
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"Solid evidence of the faked US moon landing is here!" read the simplified Chinese Weibo post shared on June 26, 2024.
The post was shared shortly after the Chinese Chang'e-6 probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon returned to Earth on June 25, 2024, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first.
The materials harvested could enhance scientists' understanding of how the Moon was formed and its evolution over time.
The posts did not directly indicate which US lunar mission was allegedly "faked" but appeared to perpetuate widely debunked conspiracy theories alleging the Moon landings were staged.
Professor Jack Burns, an astrophysicist at the University of Colorado Boulder, has told AFP the conspiracy is "pure nonsense".
"We have lots of proof that 12 Apollo astronauts visited the Moon and brought back lunar soil samples that are much different from that on Earth," Burns said.
The Apollo programme landed six spacecraft and 12 astronauts on the Moon between 1969 and 1972.
The photos also circulated elsewhere on Weibo, WeChat, TikTok, Facebook, and X.
AI-generated series
Reverse image and keyword searches on Google found the photos were initially shared on Reddit's Midjourney channel, alongside the caption "Staging the Moon Landing, 1969" (archived link).
Below is a screenshot comparison of the false post (left) and the AI-generated images shared on Reddit (right):
Reddit user "FineWithIX", identified as the creator of the images, claimed in the comments that they were used for "mocking the conspiracy theorists".
The user also mentioned the tools and instructions used to generate the images, as shown in the comment below:
A New York Times article published on April 8, 2023 identified the creator as Jordan Rhone, a lawyer in Pennsylvania who said he made the images using Midjourney, a generative AI platform (archived link).
A closer examination of the photos found that the space suits and helmets in the images are irregularly shaped, and the torsos of some figures are also not in proportion, as highlighted by AFP below:
Experts have previously told AFP that such visual inconsistencies are obvious flaws in AI-generated images.
The success of the Chang'e-6 probe mission has set off a torrent of misinformation on Chinese social media platforms targeting the US that researchers say reflects their bitter competition in space.
AFP has debunked other misinformation circulated during the probe's mission here, here and here.
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