[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.06,0:00:03.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- On August 4th, there\Nwas a massive explosion
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.44,0:00:05.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the port in Beirut, Lebanon.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.09,0:00:07.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(explosion rumbles)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.63,0:00:11.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cellphones caught the blast\Nfrom almost every angle.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.06,0:00:13.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Videos spread through social media
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.18,0:00:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and messaging platforms\Nalmost immediately.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.98,0:00:18.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some were real, some were manipulated.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.61,0:00:21.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A few appeared to show a missile striking
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.41,0:00:22.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just before the blast.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.02,0:00:28.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These videos were doctored.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.06,0:00:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When investigative\Nreporter Emmanuelle Saliba
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.90,0:00:32.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,received one of those videos\Nfrom a source in Beirut,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.60,0:00:34.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she knew she had to get to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.99,0:00:36.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- As an investigative reporter,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.23,0:00:38.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my role is to try and figure out
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.03,0:00:40.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what caused the explosion in this case.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.07,0:00:43.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I got in touch with\Nsomeone who owns a business
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.81,0:00:44.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the Port of Beirut.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.86,0:00:47.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His family has been\Noperating there for 40 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.18,0:00:50.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in this exchange he said,\N"Let me send you a video.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.54,0:00:53.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I think a missile caused the explosion."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.52,0:00:56.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was already pretty\Nskeptical because I had seen
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.71,0:01:00.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some fairly easily\Ndebunkable videos out there.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.43,0:01:03.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what we're looking at\Nhere is the first video
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.49,0:01:05.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that came out that was manipulated.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.13,0:01:07.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's interesting in this case
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.46,0:01:10.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is it's an original witness video,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.22,0:01:11.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we're actually seeing the scene,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.81,0:01:15.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but what the person did was add a missile.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.28,0:01:18.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I'll show you the original\Nvideo, which is this one.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.76,0:01:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(car horn honking)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.00,0:01:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(explosion rumbles)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.44,0:01:32.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's great now about\Nwhat's happening online
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.33,0:01:35.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that as soon as a\Nmanipulated video comes out,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.06,0:01:37.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's so many journalists\Nwho are trained to do this,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.80,0:01:41.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that very quickly they're being debunked.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.18,0:01:45.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So a colleague at the BBC who\Nfocuses on disinformation,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.38,0:01:46.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he debunked it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.54,0:01:48.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we're all sort of,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.22,0:01:50.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though we work for different outlets,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.27,0:01:52.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all looking at each other's\Nwork and helping each other out.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.63,0:01:55.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I had that in my head when\NI was talking to my source
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.85,0:01:59.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I thought, "We\Nalready debunked a video,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.17,0:02:00.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I'm pretty skeptical about this one.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.82,0:02:01.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Send it to me."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.65,0:02:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He sent it to me through WhatsApp
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.06,0:02:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he said he got it\Nfrom friends and families.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.36,0:02:08.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, imagine his\Nbusiness has been destroyed,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.13,0:02:09.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they want answers,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.23,0:02:11.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they wanna know what caused the explosion.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.44,0:02:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I looked at the video and\Nit's an infrared video.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.62,0:02:16.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm gonna show you a version that is here
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.69,0:02:17.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that still lives on Twitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.91,0:02:19.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll play it for you so you can see.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.88,0:02:33.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can tell that these are two videos
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.19,0:02:34.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that have been edited together
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.58,0:02:38.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make it appear as if\Nit's one continuous shot.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.11,0:02:40.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But just by looking at it,\Nanyone could sort of see
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.45,0:02:42.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they're taken from\Ntwo different angles.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.81,0:02:45.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's also this thermal imaging layer
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.29,0:02:46.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is a bit strange
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.82,0:02:50.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,considering that the video\Ncamera falls to the floor
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.13,0:02:53.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you can see it was\Ntaken by a human being.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.86,0:02:57.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What human being has an infrared camera?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.00,0:02:58.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- This is a professional piece of gear.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.44,0:03:00.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- Right. The video's shaky.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.67,0:03:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No security footage would've\Ncome out that quickly
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.48,0:03:04.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,given the strength of the explosion,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.98,0:03:07.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you just start piecing\Nthese things together.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.70,0:03:10.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I recognized this first shot
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.06,0:03:14.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I knew that it was taken\Nby a social media editor
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.82,0:03:17.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who was actually on the\Nground who works for CNN.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.40,0:03:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here's the original video.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.18,0:03:21.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see it doesn't have that filter
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.01,0:03:23.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when you play it out,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.66,0:03:26.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(explosion rumbling)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.65,0:03:29.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can see that there isn't a missile
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.63,0:03:30.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that comes through the sky and hits.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.99,0:03:32.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that was added.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.60,0:03:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I spoke to him and he said,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.79,0:03:36.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Yeah, my video was taken, manipulated,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.35,0:03:38.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I kept getting all these emails
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.68,0:03:41.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about the supposed missile in my video,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.91,0:03:43.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which you can see isn't there.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.64,0:03:48.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And quickly after, Twitter\Nactually put out an event
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.28,0:03:51.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to show that fact checkers had concluded
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.09,0:03:53.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the video of the Beirut\Nexplosion was doctored
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.32,0:03:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it included a fake missile
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.74,0:04:00.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they featured my tweet\Nand my thread I did on it
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.12,0:04:03.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they also featured\Na few other reporters
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.30,0:04:08.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that had also been doing a\Nsimilar type of debunking work.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.03,0:04:11.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's important for us\Nto really be quite quick
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.81,0:04:14.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to dismiss these and\Nquite quick to debunk them
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.93,0:04:17.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and really show people\Nhow we do it, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.78,0:04:19.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's easy to say this isn't real,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.80,0:04:23.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we need people to understand\Nwhy and how it's not real.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.46,0:04:26.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I actually wrote back to\Nhim and I laid out my steps
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.51,0:04:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and said, "Here's how\NI know it's not real."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.36,0:04:31.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he's like, "Okay,\Nthat's so great to know,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.25,0:04:33.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I'm gonna tell all my\Nfriends and my family."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.40,0:04:36.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's really helpful, I\Nthink, if you're an individual
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.28,0:04:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to create a list with all of\Nthese different journalists
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.44,0:04:43.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that you can monitor\Nthem during breaking news.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.68,0:04:45.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- Build your own little stable of experts
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.22,0:04:48.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you trust, that are verified,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.05,0:04:51.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that way you might see\Nthat what you're about to share
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.15,0:04:53.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually showed up here as\Nsomething that you shouldn't.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.41,0:04:54.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- Exactly.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.96,0:04:57.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- The August 4th blast in\NBeirut was devastating.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.87,0:05:00.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lives were lost, thousands were injured,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.22,0:05:02.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,billions of dollars of damage was done.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.73,0:05:05.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We all wanted to know how did this happen.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.77,0:05:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We got explanations immediately.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.02,0:05:11.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But reliable news takes time.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.09,0:05:15.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what do we do when information\Ntravels faster than facts?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.29,0:05:17.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Build a list like Emmanuelle recommends.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.76,0:05:20.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Find journalists you\Ntrust and follow them.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.77,0:05:22.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then when big news breaks,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.40,0:05:24.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if 2020 has taught us anything,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.33,0:05:26.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it most surely will break,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.22,0:05:28.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you'll already know who to go to.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.89,0:05:31.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until next time, keep it\Nreal. Don't spread fake news.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.60,0:05:34.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm Hari Sreenivasan and\Nthis is "Take On Fake."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:34.17,0:05:37.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(gentle music)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.06,0:05:37.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.99,0:05:39.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For more in-depth\Ninvestigations like this one,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.96,0:05:42.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,follow our guest Emmanuelle\NSaliba on Twitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.05,0:05:43.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can find a link in the description.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.89,0:05:45.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let us know what you think in the comments
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.41,0:05:47.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and don't forget to subscribe so you know
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.35,0:05:49.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when the next episode\Nof "Take On Fake" drops.