An image has been widely shared showing a reporter wearing only a translucent raincoat in the rain and no other clothes reporting on weather updates about recent Taipei storms in Taiwan. While sharing the image, it is claimed that it’s a Taiwanese Reporter covering the news in American Style.
An account named Shanghai Panda wrote, “EBC News / SET News all are pro-DPP TV media. Like the other “green” media, they’re happy to report news and even weather forecasts in an “American way”. As a Chinese, I’m ashamed of this. After the return of Taiwan, such media should be shut down.”
Following the above account, other users also shared homogenous post which can be viewed here and here
Fact Check
We investigated the viral image and found a media report by EBC News dated 4 Nov 2024, which informed, “ China maliciously went viral, and female reporters wore translucent light raincoats to connect the line and also used the background picture of Taiwan TV to humiliate Taiwanese women and journalists.” (Translated in English)
The report further highlighted the flaws in the image. Many flaws can be found in the picture
1. When Typhoon Kangrui made landfall, there was a violent storm in Taipei, and it was impossible to have so many people on the streets.
2. The connecting point is at Taipei Station, but there is no mountain-like terrain near Taipei Station.
3. Reporters with the same name and appearance appear in different media.
4. Check the picture carefully. It is suspected that generative AI is used to draw the picture. The female reporter only has four fingers.
We also closely inspected the image and found similar discrepancies.The number of fingers in picture 2 and the alignment of the index finger pic 1 seem to be distorted. Further, the report stated, “Further investigation revealed that Huang Tingyun, the online reporter in the fake picture, was found to be the name of the AI chat robot of the Admissions Promotion Department of Shih-Hsin University by a fraud group impersonating him, and was not a reporter from any media.”
Another media report by setn,com reported, “Recently, footage of a Sanli TV reporter appearing nearly naked while broadcasting was widely circulated on foreign forums. In response, Sanli TV issued a statement, pointing out that the information about [China’s almost-naked anchor reporting on Taiwan news] is purely smear, false information, and deliberately demeaning Taiwan media and audiences.Sanli TV severely condemned the incident and called on netizens not to spread malicious and false information. This statement is hereby made to set the record straight.”
Conclusion
The viral image of a Taiwanese reporter in a translucent raincoat is AI-generated and fake, aimed at spreading misinformation. Both EBC News and Sanli TV confirm it as a smear tactic against Taiwanese media and women. DFRAC Analysis: Fake
