A Video of the Tokyo Billboard 'Stop War, Stop Zelenskyy' Is Manipulated
The Claim
A video shows a banner displayed on a building in Japan that reads: "Stop Zelenskyy! Stop the war!"
Emerging story
Social media users, mainly pro-Russia, circulated a video purporting to feature a banner on a building in Japan with the message: "Stop Zelenskyy! Stop the war!"
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the widely circulated video and found the claim to be fake.
The video is digitally altered to show the anti-Zelensky billboard.
The Video Showing a Japanese Anti-Zelenskyy Sign Was Manipulated
The original video does not feature the anti-Zelenskyy billboard. The original video dates back to October 19, 2020. The footage shows a person walking around the bustling Shibuya neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, and videotaping the scene.
Misbar's team compared the viral video with the longer original version and discovered that the viral video appears approximately 21:25 into the original video.
According to the 2022 guidelines set by the Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency, it is not clear whether such a billboard, if real, would be considered prohibited since it does not promote any product or have any affiliation with a Japanese political party or organization.
Furthermore, no reliable media outlets reported the video showing the anti-Zelenskyy message.
Shibuya AI Vision
The advertisement banner seen in the video is known as Shibuya Ai Vision. Reports indicate that it is a large vertical screen used to convey messages related to love, birthdays, and special occasions to people globally.
The screen is located near other commercial centers, such as Shibuya Modi and Shibuya 109, with their main entrance at Shibuya crossing, a famous and bustling scramble crossing in Tokyo. Moreover, Shibuya boasts two of the busiest railway stations in the world, namely Shibuya and Shinjuku stations.
Russia-Ukraine Disinformation War
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolds, both the Russian state and state-controlled media have engaged in an information war by disseminating disinformation. In response, Ukrainian media and politicians have also been accused of employing propaganda stories and deceptive tactics as part of their military campaign.
The prevalence of disinformation surrounding the invasion is indicative of broader challenges linked to the transformation in information production and distribution. The designs of platforms and algorithms can contribute to the rapid dissemination of disinformation by facilitating the creation of echo chambers.
Misbar's team has been diligently working to debunk and counteract a plethora of misinformation and disinformation stories circulated related to the war between the two parties.
Read More
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Escalating Tensions: Ukraine's Potential Counteroffensive and the Information War
