On August 9-10, Georgian (1;2;3) and Russian-speaking (1;2;3;4) Facebook accounts shared photos and video footage showing French President Emmanuel Macron kissing a man. In the footage, it appears they are on a boat.
The video circulating on social media is a fabrication. While President Macron was indeed on a boat with the individuals captured in the photos, the video has been artificially altered using AI. The footage was generated using a photo in which Macron is standing close to the man depicted in the video.
On August 2, Macron’s vacation photos were published in media outlets and social networks, where he was accompanied by his wife and others. In the photos, the president is seen on a boat with several men and children. It’s important to note that the kissing scene was only circulated on social media and was not published by any credible media outlets. In one of the photos, Macron is standing with his back to the camera next to a man who is holding Macron’s wrist. This photo is likely the basis for the fabricated video, as the video starts with this exact scene.
| Authentic Photo | Fabricated Frame |
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The video circulating on social media shows clear signs of manipulation. At the beginning of the video, a real photo is used where an unidentified man is holding Macron’s wrist. In the following frames, the man releases Macron’s wrist, puts his arm around his neck, and kisses him. However, upon closer inspection, in the second and third frames, before the man puts his arm around Macron’s neck, part of his hand disappears, and fingers are still visible on Macron’s wrist.
The authenticity of the video has also been verified by the fact-checking department of the well-known French publication, France 24, called The Observers, which identified several inaccuracies in the footage. They confirmed that the video was created using AI and that the August 2 photo was used as a base for the fabrication.
In the past, Myth Detector has debunked several photo/video fabrications related to the current French president. Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron have often been targets of conspiracy theories and false stories related to gender and sexual orientation. In 2021, false claims that France’s First Lady was transgender went viral. Earlier, in 2017, during the presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron had to deny accusations that he was gay.
About the Source:
Facebook user Георгий Кушиташвили regularly spreads false and manipulative information. Fake news disseminated by the user has been debunked by “Myth Detector” a number of times.
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