Bogus videos from the hurricanes are going viral. Here's how to spot old and fabricated footage online.
CBSN
As Hurricane Milton slammed Florida's west coast, dozens of misleading or AI-generated videos spread on social media, racking up millions of views across platforms. One video, falsely said to show Milton, was actually filmed from a 2021 nor'easter in Massachusetts. Another montage, which had 1.5 million views on X, contained AI-generated footage. Julia Feerrar, an associate professor at Virginia Tech, said search engines are helpful in this instance: "Describing the image and adding the phrase 'fact check' to your search is often the fastest way to get more information and debunk misleading content." For example, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety published fact checks on AI-generated content and other misinformation that swirled online amid Hurricane Helene.
Experts say misleading visuals regularly go viral after major natural disasters, often with the aim of amassing views or spreading false claims. The National Weather Service has previously warned of "false or purposely inaccurate severe weather reports" on social media, featuring photos or video taken from events "that happened months to a few years ago."
Cayce Myers, a professor of public relations at Virginia Tech, said viral AI-generated images during Hurricane Helene showcase the challenges with AI and social media.
A Hawaii man who spent 30 years in prison for a murder he long denied committing declared the day "Freedom Friday" and said he was eager to visit his mother after a judge ordered him released because of new DNA evidence.
Hamas has handed over three more Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in the latest exchange under the fragile ceasefire.
The Defense Department said Friday that it's cutting about 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place.
A federal judge on Friday blocked a sweeping executive order from President Trump that sought to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Department of Justice has eliminated its national database that tracked misconduct incidents among federal law enforcement officers.
Former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio was arrested Friday near the U.S. Capitol on a charge that he assaulted a woman protesting a gathering attended by Tarrio and others who received presidential pardons for crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in the nation's capital.
The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials Friday over access to presidential events, citing freedom of speech in asking a federal judge to stop the 10-day blocking of its journalists.
The Trump administration is considering moving the U.S. Postal Service, an independent federal agency, under the Commerce Department, two sources tell CBS News.
Washington — A federal judge on Friday declined to block the Trump administration from putting thousands of employees with U.S. Agency for International Development on administrative leave and recalling others from overseas, clearing the way for the president to resume his efforts to overhaul the agency as part of his plans to slash the size of the federal government.
An attorney employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly made "racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful, harassing and dishonest" posts on an X account where he tried to hide his identity, according to a legal complaint filed against him.
Michael Sayih and Max Fink share a common goal: to make history together. The South Florida natives are regular racing partners who have competed in 5K, Iron Man and marathon events around the world. Their current goal is to become one of the first Duo Teams — one athlete pushing the other in a wheelchair — to complete six Abbott World Marathon Majors together.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has continued to slash through federal agencies, firing workers and canceling contracts. But as it tallies its savings online, there are continuing indications that the group, which President Trump has referred to as Musk's team of "super geniuses," is overstating its achievements.
Ford and Rivian have issued recalls affecting a total of about 257,000 vehicles in the United States over separate seatbelt and headlight issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday.