Buzz
First published on October 30, 2012.
While countless striking images of Hurricane Sandy circulated, several fabricated photos also gained massive traction online. Journalists have provided useful tips on identifying fake photos, while others have taken it upon themselves to expose the hoaxes.
1. Menacing Storm Clouds Hovering Over Manhattan
2. A McDonald's Submerged in Floodwaters
Another image that falls into the not-fake-but-not-Sandy category is this photo, which claims to show a hurricane-damaged McDonald's in Virginia. However, it is not authentic. Interestingly, the image originates from a 2009 art installation and film titled Flooded McDonald's, showcasing a case of art mirroring reality.
3. Subway Adventure with a Scuba Diver
Most of the fabricated images showcase varying levels of expertise in using photo-editing tools such as Photoshop. One creative example features a scuba diver navigating the 14th Street-Union Square and Times Square subway stations in Manhattan.
4. Shark Spotted in Floodwaters, First Instance
5. Shark Spotted in Floodwaters, Second Instance
6. Shark In Flood Waters, Part Three
The last shark image, allegedly taken on a New Jersey street, is not only fabricated but also recycled. It initially gained attention after Hurricane Irene in 2011, when it was (somewhat more believably) claimed to depict flooding in Puerto Rico.
7. Storm Clouds Framing the Statue of Liberty
This dramatic storm formation behind the Statue of Liberty is actually from 2004 in Nebraska, photographed by storm chaser and photographer Mike Hollingshead.
8. Misleading Information
In this image, the Statue of Liberty appears to be overwhelmed by Sandy's enormous storm surge, but in reality, it’s the result of Hollywood’s special effects team from the 2004 film
The Day After Tomorrow
. The photo has been slightly altered post-capture, with a New York TV logo added to deceive viewers,
as noted by The Atlantic's Alexis Madrigal
.
9. The Statue of Liberty Concealed
10. Statue of Liberty with a Feline Twist
Similar to No. 9, this image required no advanced investigation to expose as false. The Atlantic's Madrigal describes it as "fake (but impressive)."
Additional Stories from The Week...
Life after Sandy: New York's preparations for the next major storm * Hurricane Sandy: Stunning Images of the Destruction * The Internet's Top Visual Representations of Hurricane Sandy
* * * * *References: The Age, Atlantic, Chicago Tribune, Hoax-Slayer, Mashable,NBC Today, Tumblr, Wall Street Journal, WPIX 11
