AI image falsely shows elderly couple stripped by Paris rioters
Thai PBS Verify traced the false image to a post on X.
AI image falsely shows elderly couple stripped by Paris rioters
Thai PBS Verify investigated an image shared amid reports of unrest during protests in France. The picture was posted by an X account named “Thub Kala Tha Fan” and appeared to show an elderly man and woman wearing only underwear while surrounded by protesters.
The post said:
“An 80-year-old married couple were surrounded and robbed by rioters in Place de la République in central Paris last night. The attackers took their mobile phones, wallets and all the clothes they were wearing, leaving the victims humiliated and stripped of their dignity, with only their underwear on as they stood in the street.”
The post was published on Oct 18, 2026.
Was the elderly couple really attacked?
An examination using SynthID found that the image had been generated with artificial intelligence.
The SynthID Detector identified the picture as AI-generated
An analysis using Sightengine produced a similar result, estimating a 99% likelihood that the image had been created using ChatGPT.
Sightengine’s analysis found that the image was AI-generated.
Physical inspection also revealed several irregularities when the image was enlarged using InVID-WeVerify. Most notably, the elderly woman’s fingers appeared abnormally large.
Irregularities revealed by enlarging the image using InVID-WeVerify’s verification tools
Another anomaly involved a protester in the background whose head appeared to merge two people into a single body. Such visual defects indicate that the image was generated using AI.
Irregularities revealed by enlarging the image with InVID-WeVerify
Findings supported by French media
A keyword search found that Libération, a leading French daily newspaper, had also examined the picture and concluded that it was AI-generated.
What is the current situation?
The French government has imposed curfews in several cities, including Paris, following violence during large protests over the weekend. Several French trade unions have also announced plans for another nationwide strike early next month.
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What are the facts?
Thai PBS Verify found that the post claiming an 80-year-old couple had been robbed and stripped to their underwear by rioters in central Paris constitutes AI-generated disinformation.
The facts are as follows:
The image was created using artificial intelligence: The picture of an elderly man and woman in their underwear among a crowd of protesters does not document a real incident. It was generated using AI to provoke an emotional response and spread alarm on social media.
The finding was supported by French media: Libération investigated the image and also confirmed that it was AI-generated. No genuine incident matching the claims in the post was reported.
Verification Process
- AI-detection tools: The picture was analysed for digital traces using SynthID and Sightengine. Sightengine estimated a 99% likelihood that it had been generated using ChatGPT’s image-generation technology.
- Visual and forensic analysis: The image was enlarged and examined using InVID-WeVerify. Investigators found several errors commonly associated with AI-generated pictures, including the elderly woman’s disproportionately large fingers and two protesters in the background appearing to merge into a single body.
- Cross-checking with foreign media: The claim was compared with international news reports and a fact-check published by Libération. The French newspaper confirmed that the image was AI-generated and that the information accompanying it was false.
Impact of the false information
- Fuelling hatred and distorting perceptions of public order: Linking an emotionally disturbing AI image of elderly people being assaulted and humiliated to political unrest can create a false impression of security conditions in France and provoke hostility towards protesters.
- Making online disinformation more sophisticated: Modern AI-generated images can appear highly realistic. Social media users who view them only briefly and fail to inspect the details may easily be misled, undermining the reliability of information circulating on X and other platforms.
- Eroding trust in journalism and authentic images: The repeated use of disturbing AI-generated pictures may make the public increasingly sceptical or indifferent, potentially leading people to distrust genuine news photographs documenting real events.
What to do with this misinformation?
- Inspect physical details: When an image appears unusual or highly distressing, enlarge it and examine small details such as fingers, eyes, teeth, skin contours, writing on signs and people in the background. AI systems often produce mistakes in these areas.
- Check local media and fact-checking organisations: Claims involving major overseas events, such as riots in central Paris, should be checked against reports from established local news organisations, including Libération and AFP, or recognised international fact-checking groups before being shared.
- Use reverse-image search tools: Search for the picture using Google Lens or InVID-WeVerify to determine whether a fact-check has already been published.
- Stop sharing and report the post: Do not forward images or messages that could cause unnecessary alarm. Report the content to the social media platform to help prevent false information from spreading further.
