How not to fall for paid blue ticks & AI:CNN-News18 is setting an example for Indian media

On Monday, a photo of an ‘explosion’ at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defensewent viral on Twitter. The image showcased a massive plume of black smoke near a building, creating a sense of panic and urgency. It was later revealed that the image was generated by AI. However, several Indian news channels ran “breaking news” report of the purported explosion, without conducting the necessary fact-checking.

Police and fire officials in Arlington, Virginia, say the image is not real and there was no incident at the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters.

Although it was later revealed that the image was AI generated, the damage was done. Verified accounts were tweeting about the explosion including news outlet Russia Today. Several Indian news channels then broadcast “breaking news” coverage of the purported explosion, some of them even interviewed international affairs experts.

In English TV news segment, however, there was only one channel who did not carry this report and focused on the G-20 meeting in Kashmir.

In the age of breaking news and Twitter led narratives, CNN-News18's refusal to engage in AI-generated fake news reflects its commitment to fact-checking and placing truth and accuracy above sensationalism.

With Twitter handles becoming paid and AI driven content taking center stage, it has become pertinent for news channels to do a proper fact check before breaking any news. The speed driven newsrooms need to take a step back and bring focus back on authenticity.