annie lab

@HKU School of Future Media

Latest fact checks

Viral clips claiming to show Chinese fireworks actually reuse footage of a staged fireball effect at a 2018 pyrotechnics convention in Iowa.
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: ‘Hiroshima Romance’ fireball clip shows pyrotechnic display in US, not China

Viral videos claiming to show Chinese fireworks actually reuse footage of a staged fireball effect at a 2018 pyrotechnics convention in Iowa

Taiwan media share outdated AI-generated ‘Maduro in detention’ image as real
Fact checkFalse

Taiwan media share outdated AI-generated ‘Maduro in detention’ image as real

False: HK permanent residency rules remain unchanged despite claims of ‘bonus’ criteria
Fact checkFalse

False: HK permanent residency rules remain unchanged despite claims of ‘bonus’ criteria

Misleading: Media used unrelated old images to illustrate USS Gerald R. Ford sewage woes
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Media used unrelated old images to illustrate USS Gerald R. Ford sewage woes

Analysis: Viral video’s ‘human leg’ meat likely shows beef or other hoofed animal flesh
AnalysisFact checkNo evidence

Analysis: Viral video’s ‘human leg’ meat likely shows beef or other hoofed animal flesh

Misleading: Rocket landing video shows a model built in US; no ‘Chinese team’ involved
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Rocket landing video shows a model built in US; no ‘Chinese team’ involved

中文 (繁/简)View more

虛假：網傳殘疾作家張海迪站立影片實為人工智能生成
虛假Fact check中文

虛假：網傳殘疾作家張海迪站立影片實為人工智能生成

影片的關鍵畫面，跟2012年新華社報道張海迪出席聯合國頒獎禮的新聞照片一致。影片極有可能是利用人工智能圖像轉影片模型生成製作。

分析：網傳「斷腿村」影片與偏鄉婚姻習俗無關 挪用身障女子籌款片段
虛假Fact check分析深度報道中文

分析：網傳「斷腿村」影片與偏鄉婚姻習俗無關 挪用身障女子籌款片段

誤導：網傳「港話通」人工智能對話片段 實為字節跳動工具「豆包」
誤導Fact check中文

誤導：網傳「港話通」人工智能對話片段 實為字節跳動工具「豆包」

分析：2025德國聖誕市集大多如期舉行 未如傳聞大規模因保安成本取消
分析欠缺證據深度報道中文

分析：2025德國聖誕市集大多如期舉行 未如傳聞大規模因保安成本取消

误导：影片声称波兰拆毁中欧铁路 实为瑞士车轨翻修工程
誤導Fact check中文

误导：影片声称波兰拆毁中欧铁路 实为瑞士车轨翻修工程

虛假：Google人工智能生成影片被誤當真實電視新聞
虛假Fact check中文

虛假：Google人工智能生成影片被誤當真實電視新聞

誤導：網傳山東洗衣店爆炸影片 與機洗羽絨無關
誤導Fact check中文

誤導：網傳山東洗衣店爆炸影片 與機洗羽絨無關

误导：网传视频显示中国孤儿院扯头发虐童 事发地点实为俄罗斯一医院
誤導Fact check中文

误导：网传视频显示中国孤儿院扯头发虐童 事发地点实为俄罗斯一医院

More storiesView more

Misleading: Old Trump quote about 2019 protests misused after Jimmy Lai sentencing
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Old Trump quote about 2019 protests misused after Jimmy Lai sentencing

A screenshot of a 2019 Lianhe Zaobao headline has nothing to do with the recent conviction and 20-year jail term for media mogul Jimmy Lai

Just in case: No, ‘hip hop geek’ Troy did not run or win a seat in Japan’s general election
Fact checkFalseJust in case

Just in case: No, ‘hip hop geek’ Troy did not run or win a seat in Japan’s general election

False: Viral video of bridge collapse in Jiangsu province likely AI-generated
Fact checkFalse

False: Viral video of bridge collapse in Jiangsu province likely AI-generated

A key frame in the clip matches a 2012 Xinhua news photo of Zhang seated in a wheelchair at an UN event. Visual evidence indicates the viral video was created from the old image.
Fact checkFalse

False: Video of Zhang Haidi standing from a wheelchair is AI-generated

Analysis: Viral ‘broken-leg women’ video falsely links charity footage to fake ‘marriage custom’
AnalysisFact checkFalseIn-depth

Analysis: Viral ‘broken-leg women’ video falsely links charity footage to fake ‘marriage custom’

Misleading: ‘Fake Chinese sea cucumber’ videos actually show vegan food and chocolate dessert
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: ‘Fake Chinese sea cucumber’ videos actually show vegan food and chocolate dessert

A photo showing the online purchasing of Hong Kong Pet Identity Cards along with two pets, one dog and one cat with their own ID card
ExplainerFact checkIn-depth

Explainer: Pet ID cards in HK aren’t official but fun; We got our own, too

Analysis: No new Chinese law on influencers; livestream regulations took effect in 2022
AnalysisFact checkIn-depthMisleading

Analysis: No new Chinese law on influencers; livestream regulations took effect in 2022

In-DepthView more

Feature image made up of related Christmas market claims and images
AnalysisFact checkIn-depthNo evidence

Analysis: Most German Christmas markets to open as planned in 2025

There is no credible evidence to support claims that due to security concerns, a large number of Christmas markets in Germany have been canceled. City officials and local tourism boards have confirmed most markets will go ahead as planned.

Analysis: Narratives on ‘botched’ suicide prevention messages at Seoul’s Mapo Bridge
AnalysisFact checkIn-depthNo evidence

Analysis: Narratives on ‘botched’ suicide prevention messages at Seoul’s Mapo Bridge

Internet users occasionally bring up the decade-old “Bridge of Life” campaign in South Korea even now, claiming that the suicide prevention measures in 2012 unintuitively contributed to more people jumping off the bridge. Annie Lab looked into what really happened.

Archive

False: Image claiming polar bear escape in Kazakhstan likely AI-generated
Fact checkFalse

False: Image claiming polar bear escape in Kazakhstan likely AI-generated

False: Screenshots tampered to claim human organs are state property in China
Fact checkFalse

False: Screenshots tampered to claim human organs are state property in China

Misleading: Video shows ByteDance’s Doubao, not HK government’s new AI chatbot
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Video shows ByteDance’s Doubao, not HK government’s new AI chatbot

Misleading: Video of roadside tents shows concertgoers, not poor tourists in China
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Video of roadside tents shows concertgoers, not poor tourists in China

Misleading: Video shows track work in Switzerland, not Poland destroying China-EU corridor
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Video shows track work in Switzerland, not Poland destroying China-EU corridor

HKU Business School not yet accepting bitcoin payments, but exploring options
Fact check

HKU Business School not yet accepting bitcoin payments, but exploring options

False: This image used in news reports on London protest likely AI-generated
Fact checkFalse

False: This image used in news reports on London protest likely AI-generated

False: Image claiming 100-yuan deposit for lifebuoy access is doctored
Fact checkFalse

False: Image claiming 100-yuan deposit for lifebuoy access is doctored

六年回顧：Annie Lab事實查核報告分析
AnalysisIn-depth

六年回顧：Annie Lab事實查核報告分析

Six years on: Our stories so far
AnalysisIn-depth

Six years on: Our stories so far

Announcement: Three-month suspension of our daily fact-checking operation
Fact check

Announcement: Three-month suspension of our daily fact-checking operation

False: AI video made with Google model confused internet users as real TV news
Fact checkFalse

False: AI video made with Google model confused internet users as real TV news

Misleading: Bangkok building’s twisted columns are design feature, not earthquake damage
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Bangkok building’s twisted columns are design feature, not earthquake damage

Misleading: Irrelevant video misrepresented as Taiwanese supporting unification
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Irrelevant video misrepresented as Taiwanese supporting unification

Misleading: Video shows driving contest in China, not license exam
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Video shows driving contest in China, not license exam

Misinformation spreads as WHO member states adopt pandemic agreement
Fact checkHealthMisleading

Misinformation spreads as WHO member states adopt pandemic agreement

Misleading: Video shows explosion caused by a lighter refill in Spain, not a down jacket in China
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Video shows explosion caused by a lighter refill in Spain, not a down jacket in China

Misleading: Viral video does not show nine-year-old child bride in Iraq; she is his niece 
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Viral video does not show nine-year-old child bride in Iraq; she is his niece 

Featured Image
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: This video shows child abuse at a Russian hospital, not in China

误导：美国驻沈阳总领事馆拍卖属例行操作 并非闭馆迹象
誤導Fact check中文

误导：美国驻沈阳总领事馆拍卖属例行操作 并非闭馆迹象

cover photo shows the the spreading X posts that include the claims with no evidence
Fact check欠缺證據中文

没有证据证明陈启宗指控中国某理工大学挪用其捐款

Misleading: US Consulate General’s auction is routine, not a sign of closure
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: US Consulate General’s auction is routine, not a sign of closure

Two X posts featured the claims about Ronnie Chan and Ou Yangping that we found no evidence of.
Fact checkNo evidence

No record shows Ronnie Chan accused a Chinese university of misusing his donations

Cover photo of this article shows three posts claiming a police raid at CK Hutchison headquaters, which Annie Lab has proved to be false.
Fact checkFalse

False: No arrest at CK Hutchison has been reported over Panama ports deal

Misleading: Image of a girl with scaly skin has nothing to do with Israel-Hamas war
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Image of a girl with scaly skin has nothing to do with Israel-Hamas war

Analysis: No evidence supports viral story of US soldier’s assault in South Korea
AnalysisFact checkMisleading

Analysis: No evidence supports viral story of US soldier’s assault in South Korea

No evidence to suggest Firecracker Dragon festival was ‘suppressed by the government’
Fact checkNo evidence

No evidence to suggest Firecracker Dragon festival was ‘suppressed by the government’

Cover photo of the story
Fact checkMisleading

Misleading: Crying cameraperson video is unrelated to recent Trump-Zelenskyy spat

False: Arrested man’s face swapped with MIRROR star Keung To in manipulated image
Fact checkFalse

False: Arrested man’s face swapped with MIRROR star Keung To in manipulated image

Cover photo showing the social media post claiming Trump banned "felon" in White House
Fact checkFalseJust in case

Just in case: White House memo banning the term ‘felon’ is not authentic