#FactCheck:Old Philippines earthquake video falsely shared as 7.4-magnitude quake in Colombia
Executive Summary
A video showing children crouching as the ground shakes violently is being widely shared on social media with the claim that it shows the aftermath of a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026. However, the CyberPeace Research Wing found that the video is not from Colombia. The footage was recorded in the Philippines two months earlier during a more powerful earthquake.
Claim
An X user shared the video on August 10, 2026, claiming that it showed a massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia that killed hundreds of people and destroyed thousands of homes. “Massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia! Hundreds dead, thousands of homes destroyed,” the post claimed.
https://x.com/anandsh04294243/status/2086911617938362779
Fact Check
To verify the claim, the Desk conducted a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video. The search led to the same footage being shared on social media on June 8, where it was linked to a powerful earthquake in the southern Philippines. The posts identified the footage as being related to a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the region, causing buildings to collapse, triggering landslides and prompting tsunami warnings.
https://x.com/WeatherMonitors/status/2063855713223635055
Further research found that the video was recorded at Tubalan Elementary School in Malita, Davao Occidental province, Philippines.
According to the edit history of the Facebook post, the user initially stated that the footage showed the first day of school at Tubalan Elementary School. The user later updated the caption, urging viewers not to blame the teachers. The updated post stated that the students were outside near the school’s basketball court when the earthquake struck and were subsequently evacuated to safety without any injuries. The school also issued a separate post on Facebook to address what it described as a misconception arising from the video circulating on social media. The school clarified that the outdoor gymnasium was not being used as an evacuation area after the earthquake. It said the students were already inside the gymnasium for the scheduled flag ceremony when the earthquake occurred.
The Desk also searched for reports about the earthquake and found a detailed report published by Barron's, which confirmed the occurrence of a major earthquake off the southern Philippines. The report also mentioned casualties and tsunami warnings following the quake. https://www.barrons.com/news/major-quake-off-philippines-kills-one-triggers-tsunami-warnings-665c527c
Conclusion
The viral video does not show a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia. The footage was recorded at Tubalan Elementary School in the Philippines and was shared online in June 2026 in connection with a powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines. Therefore, the claim that the video shows the August 10, 2026 earthquake in Colombia is false.
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Executive Summary
On January 22, an Indian Army vehicle met with an accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, resulting in the death of 10 soldiers, while several others were injured. In connection with this tragic incident, a photograph is now going viral on social media. The viral image shows an Army vehicle that appears to have fallen into a deep gorge, with several soldiers visible around the site. Users sharing the image are claiming that it depicts the actual scene of the Doda accident.
However, an research by the CyberPeacehas found that the viral image is not genuine. The photograph has been generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and does not represent the real accident. Hence, the viral post is misleading.
Claim
An Instagram user shared the viral image on January 22, 2026, writing:“Deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Doda, Jammu & Kashmir today, in which 10 brave soldiers lost their lives. My heartfelt tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives in the line of duty.Sincere condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers.The nation will forever remember your sacrifice.”
The link and screenshot of the post can be seen below.
- https://www.instagram.com/p/DT0UBIRk_3k/
- https://archive.ph/submit/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fp%2FDT0UBIRk_3k%2F+
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we first closely examined the viral image. Several visual inconsistencies were observed. The structure of the soldier visible inside the damaged vehicle appears distorted, and the hands and limbs of people involved in the rescue operation look unnatural. These anomalies raised suspicion that the image might be AI-generated. Based on this, we ran the image through the AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which indicated that the image is over 99.9% likely to be AI-generated.
Another AI image detection tool, Sightengine, also flagged the image as 99% AI-generated.
During further research , we found a report published by Navbharat Times on January 22, 2026, which confirmed that an Indian Army vehicle had indeed fallen into a deep gorge in Doda district. According to officials, 10 soldiers were killed and 7 others were injured, and rescue operations were immediately launched.
However, it is important to note that the image circulating on social media is not an actual photograph from the incident.
Conclusion
CyberPeace research confirms that the viral image linked to the Doda Army vehicle accident has been created using Artificial Intelligence. It is not a real photograph from the incident, and therefore, the viral post is misleading.
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Introduction
The unprecedented rise of social media, challenges with regional languages, and the heavy use of messaging apps like WhatsApp have all led to an increase in misinformation in India. False stories spread quickly and can cause significant harm, like political propaganda and health-related mis/misinformation. Programs that teach people how to use social media responsibly and attempt to check facts are essential, but they do not always connect with people deeply. Reading stories, attending lectures, and using tools that check facts are standard passive learning methods used in traditional media literacy programs.
Adding game-like features to non-game settings is called "gamification," it could be a new and interesting way to answer this question. Gamification involves engaging people by making them active players instead of just passive consumers of information. Research shows that interactive learning improves interest, thinking skills, and memory. People can learn to recognise fake news safely by turning fact-checking into a game before encountering it in real life. A study by Roozenbeek and van der Linden (2019) showed that playing misinformation games can significantly enhance people's capacity to recognise and avoid false information.
Several misinformation-related games have been successfully implemented worldwide:
- The Bad News Game – This browser-based game by Cambridge University lets players step into the shoes of a fake news creator, teaching them how misinformation is crafted and spread (Roozenbeek & van der Linden, 2019).
- Factitious – A quiz game where users swipe left or right to decide whether a news headline is real or fake (Guess et al., 2020).
- Go Viral! – A game designed to inoculate people against COVID-19 misinformation by simulating the tactics used by fake news peddlers (van der Linden et al., 2020).
For programs to effectively combat misinformation in India, they must consider factors such as the responsible use of smartphones, evolving language trends, and common misinformation patterns in the country. Here are some key aspects to keep in mind:
- Vernacular Languages
There should be games in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, and other major languages since that is how rumours spread in different areas and diverse cultural contexts. AI voice conversation and translation can help reduce literacy differences. Research shows that people are more likely to engage with and trust information in their native language (Pennycook & Rand, 2019).
- Games Based on WhatsApp
Interactive tests and chatbot-powered games can educate consumers directly within the app they use most frequently since WhatsApp is a significant hub for false information. A game with a WhatsApp-like interface where players may feel like they are in real life, having to decide whether to avoid, check the facts of, or forward messages that are going viral could be helpful in India.
- Detecting False Information
As part of a mobile-friendly game, players can pretend to be reporters or fact-checkers and have to prove stories that are going viral. They can do the same with real-life tools like reverse picture searches or reliable websites that check facts. Research shows that doing interactive tasks to find fake news makes people more aware of it over time (Lewandowsky et al., 2017).
- Reward-Based Participation
Participation could be increased by providing rewards for finishing misleading challenges, such as badges, diplomas, or even incentives on mobile data. This might be easier to do if there are relationships with phone companies. Reward-based learning has made people more interested and motivated in digital literacy classes (Deterding et al., 2011).
- Universities and Schools
Educational institutions can help people spot false information by adding game-like elements to their lessons. Hamari et al. (2014) say that students are more likely to join and remember what they learn when there are competitive and interactive parts to the learning. Misinformation games can be used in media studies classes at schools and universities by using models to teach students how to check sources, spot bias, and understand the psychological tricks that misinformation campaigns use.
What Artificial Intelligence Can Do for Gamification
Artificial intelligence can tailor learning experiences to each player in false games. AI-powered misinformation detection bots could lead participants through situations tailored to their learning level, ensuring they are consistently challenged. Recent natural language processing (NLP) developments enable AI to identify nuanced misinformation patterns and adjust gameplay accordingly (Zellers et al., 2019). This could be especially helpful in India, where fake news is spread differently depending on the language and area.
Possible Opportunities
Augmented reality (AR) scavenger hunts for misinformation, interactive misinformation events, and educational misinformation tournaments are all examples of games that help fight misinformation. India can help millions, especially young people, think critically and combat the spread of false information by making media literacy fun and interesting. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in gamified treatments for misinformation could be a fascinating area of study in the future. AI-powered bots could mimic real-time cases of misinformation and give quick feedback, which would help students learn more.
Problems and Moral Consequences
While gaming is an interesting way to fight false information, it also comes with some problems that you should think about:
- Ethical Concerns: Games that try to imitate how fake news spreads must ensure players do not learn how to spread false information by accident.
- Scalability: Although worldwide misinformation initiatives exist, developing and expanding localised versions for India's varied language and cultural contexts provide significant challenges.
- Assessing Impact: There is a necessity for rigorous research approaches to evaluate the efficacy of gamified treatments in altering misinformation-related behaviours, keeping cultural and socio-economic contexts in the picture.
Conclusion
A gamified approach can serve as an effective tool in India's fight against misinformation. By integrating game elements into digital literacy programs, it can encourage critical thinking and help people recognize misinformation more effectively. The goal is to scale these efforts, collaborate with educators, and leverage India's rapidly evolving technology to make fact-checking a regular practice rather than an occasional concern.
As technology and misinformation evolve, so must the strategies to counter them. A coordinated and multifaceted approach, one that involves active participation from netizens, strict platform guidelines, fact-checking initiatives, and support from expert organizations that proactively prebunk and debunk misinformation can be a strong way forward.
References
- Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: defining "gamification". Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference.
- Guess, A., Nagler, J., & Tucker, J. (2020). Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook. Science Advances.
- Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work?—A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.
- Lewandowsky, S., Ecker, U. K., & Cook, J. (2017). Beyond misinformation: Understanding and coping with the “post-truth” era. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition.
- Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2019). Fighting misinformation on social media using “accuracy prompts”. Nature Human Behaviour.
- Roozenbeek, J., & van der Linden, S. (2019). The fake news game: actively inoculating against the risk of misinformation. Journal of Risk Research.
- van der Linden, S., Roozenbeek, J., Compton, J. (2020). Inoculating against fake news about COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology.
- Zellers, R., Holtzman, A., Rashkin, H., Bisk, Y., Farhadi, A., Roesner, F., & Choi, Y. (2019). Defending against neural fake news. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems.
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Introduction
In the intricate maze of our interconnected world, an unseen adversary conducts its operations with a stealth almost poetic in its sinister intent. This adversary — malware — has extended its tendrils into the digital sanctuaries of Mac users, long perceived as immune to such invasive threats. Our narrative today does not deal with the physical and tangible frontlines we are accustomed to; this is a modern tale of espionage, nestled in the zeros and ones of cyberspace.
The Mac platform, cradled within the fortifications of Apple's walled garden ecosystem, has stood as a beacon of resilience amidst the relentless onslaught of cyber threats. However, this sense of imperviousness has been shaken at its core, heralding a paradigm shift. A new threat lies in wait, bridging the gap between perceived security and uncomfortable vulnerability.
The seemingly invincible Mac OS X, long heralded for its robust security features and impervious resilience to virus attacks, faces an undercurrent of siege tactics from hackers driven by a relentless pursuit for control. This narrative is not about the front-and-centre warfare we see so often reported in media headlines. Instead, it veils itself within the actions of users as benign as the download of pirated software from the murky depths of warez websites.
The Incident
The casual act, born out of innocence or economic necessity, to sidestep the financial requisites of licensed software, has become the unwitting point of compromised security. Users find themselves on the battlefield, one that overshadows the significance of its physical counterpart with its capacity for surreptitious harm. The Mac's seeming invulnerability is its Achilles' heel, as the wariness against potential threats has been eroded by the myth of its impregnability.
The architecture of this silent assault is not one of brute force but of guile. Cyber marauders finesse their way through the defenses with a diversified arsenal; pirated content is but a smokescreen behind which trojans lie in ambush. The very appeal of free access to premium applications is turned against the user, opening a rift that permits these malevolent forces to ingress.
The trojans that permeate the defenses of the Mac ecosystem are architects of chaos. They surreptitiously enrol devices into armies of sorts – botnets which, unbeknownst to their hosts, become conduits for wider assaults on privacy and security. These machines, now soldiers in an unconsented war, are puppeteered to distribute further malware, carry out phishing tactics, and breach the sanctity of secure data.
The Trojan of Mac
A recent exposé by the renowned cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has shone a spotlight on this burgeoning threat. The meticulous investigation conducted in April of this year unveiled a nefarious campaign, engineered to exploit the complacency among Mac users. This operation facilitates the sale of proxy access, linking previously unassailable devices to the infrastructure of cybercriminal networks.
This revelation cannot be overstated in its importance. It illustrates with disturbing clarity the evolution and sophistication of modern malware campaigns. The threat landscape is not stagnant but ever-shifting, adapting with both cunning and opportunity.
Kaspersky's diligence in dissecting this threat detected nearly three dozen popular applications, and tools relied upon by individuals and businesses alike for a multitude of tasks. These apps, now weaponised, span a gamut of functionalities - image editing and enhancement, video compression, data recovery, and network scanning among them. Each one, once a benign asset to productivity, is twisted into a lurking danger, imbued with the power to betray its user.
The duplicity of the trojan is shrouded in mimicry; it disguises its malicious intent under the guise of 'WindowServer,' a legitimate system process intrinsic to the macOS. Its camouflage is reinforced by an innocuously named file, 'GoogleHelperUpdater.plist' — a moniker engineered to evade suspicion and blend seamlessly with benign processes affiliated with familiar applications.
Mode of Operation
Its mode of operation, insidious in its stealth, utilises the Transmission Control Protocol(TCP) and User Datagram Protocol(UDP) networking protocols. This modus operandi allows it to masquerade as a benign proxy. The full scope of its potential commands, however, eludes our grasp, a testament to the shadowy domain from which these threats emerge.
The reach of this trojan does not cease at the periphery of Mac's operating system; it harbours ambitions that transcend platforms. Windows and Android ecosystems, too, find themselves under the scrutiny of this burgeoning threat.
This chapter in the ongoing saga of cybersecurity is more than a cautionary tale; it is a clarion call for vigilance. The war being waged within the circuits and code of our devices underscores an inescapable truth: complacency is the ally of the cybercriminal.
Safety measures and best practices
It is imperative to safeguard the Mac system from harmful intruders, which are constantly evolving. Few measures can play a crucial role in protecting your data in your Mac systems.
- Refrain from Unlicensed Software - Refrain from accessing and downloading pirated software. Plenty of software serves as a decoy for malware which remains dormant till downloaded files are executed.
- Use Trusted Source: Downloading files from legitimate and trusted sources can significantly reduce the threat of any unsolicited files or malware making its way into your Mac system.
- Regular system updates: Regular updates to systems released by the company ensure the latest patches are installed in the system critical to combat and neutralize emerging threats.
- General Awareness: keeping abreast of the latest developments in cyberspace plays a crucial role in avoiding new and emerging threats. It is crucial to keep pace with trends and be well-informed about new threats and ways to combat them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this silent conflict, though waged in whispers, echoes with repercussions that reverberate through every stratum of digital life. The cyber threats that dance in the shadows cast by our screens are not figments of paranoia, but very real specters hunting for vulnerabilities to exploit. Mac users, once confident in their platforms' defenses, must awaken to the new dawn of cybersecurity awareness.
The battlefield, while devoid of the visceral carnage of physical warfare, is replete with casualties of privacy and breaches of trust. The soldiers in this conflict are disguised as serviceable code, enacting their insidious agendas beneath a façade of normalcy. The victims eschew physical wounds for scars on their digital identities, enduring theft of information, and erosion of security.
As we course through the daunting terrain of digital life, it becomes imperative to heed the lessons of this unseen warfare. Shadows may lie unseen, but it is within their obscurity that the gravest dangers often lurk, a reminder to remain ever vigilant in the face of the invisible adversary.
