Eiffel Tower goes dark: A planned event or a potential power cut? Read the Fact check
On social media platform X a user, Shadow shared an image of Eiffel tower dated on 28th July 2024 with the caption “Paris in the Eiffel Tower completely dark back up power is coming on slowly. What the hell is going on? You do not mock religion because things will happen.”
Fact Check
DFRAC examined the photograph in question. We conducted a reverse image search and found several credible media reports by France24, CNN, FranceInfo which suggests that the image of Eiffel tower shrouded with darkness is not a potential power outage but the image depicts Earth Hour, an annual event that occurs in March, not July as the post suggests. Earth Hour is a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund to raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues.
During this event, landmarks worldwide voluntarily turn off their lights for one hour, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM local time. This includes not only the Eiffel Tower in Paris but also iconic structures in other countries and cities around the world. Millions of individuals, businesses, and municipalities in over 190 countries take part in this symbolic gesture.
Earth Hour also aims to highlight the connection between human actions, nature’s destruction, and the potential increase in disease outbreaks. The event serves as a reminder of our collective responsibility towards the planet. The post’s implication of an unexpected power outage or any connection to religious matters is inaccurate and unrelated to the true purpose of this environmental awareness campaign.
Conclusion
It is clear from DFRAC’s fact check that the image likely shows Earth Hour, an annual event in March, and is not a sudden blackout in Paris. Additionally the Image is from March 27th, 2021 and not July 2024. During Earth Hour, landmarks worldwide, including the Eiffel Tower, turn off lights for one hour to raise awareness about climate change. Hence the claim made by the user is false.
