[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.06,0:00:05.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On August 4th, there was a massive\Nexplosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.09,0:00:07.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Explosions)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.63,0:00:10.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cellphones caught the blast\Nfrom almost every angle.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.06,0:00:15.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Videos spread through social media and\Nmessaging platforms almost immediately.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.79,0:00:18.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some were real, some were manipulated.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.52,0:00:23.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A few appeared to show a missile\Nstriking just before the blast.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.01,0:00:25.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Explosions)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.02,0:00:28.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These videos were doctored.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.01,0:00:30.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When investigative\Nreporter Emmanuelle Saliba
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.12,0:00:32.60,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: 0,0:00:34.99,0:00:36.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As an investigative reporter,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.37,0:00:40.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my role is to try and figure out\Nwhat caused the explosion in this case.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.07,0:00:44.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I got in touch with someone\Nwho owns a business 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: 0,0:00:53.52,0:00:55.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was already pretty skeptical
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.30,0:01:00.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I had seen some fairly easily\Ndebunkable videos out there.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.43,0:01:05.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what we're looking at here is the first\Nvideo that came out that was manipulated.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.13,0:01:07.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's interesting in this case is -
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.89,0:01:10.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's an original witness video,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.22,0:01:11.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we're actually seeing the scene,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.91,0:01:15.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but what the person did\Nwas 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: 0,0:01:19.45,0:01:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Car honking)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.00,0:01:26.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Explosions)
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're 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: 0,0:01:41.18,0:01:46.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So a colleague at the BBC who focuses\Non disinformation, he debunked it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.54,0:01:50.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we're all sort of, you know, \Neven though we work for different outlets,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.13,0:01:52.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all looking at each other's work\Nand helping each other out.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.97,0:01:55.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I had that in my head when\NI was talking to my source,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.85,0:01:59.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I thought, "You know, we've\Nalready debunked a video.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.17,0:02:00.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm pretty skeptical about this one."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.99,0:02:01.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Send it to me."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.99,0:02:05.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He sent it to me through WhatsApp and he \Nsaid he got it form friends and families.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.89,0:02:09.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, imagine his business has been\Ndestroyed, they want answers.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.20,0:02:11.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They wanna know what caused the explosion.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.54,0:02:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I looked at the video\Nand it's an infrared video.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.62,0:02:18.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm gonna show you a version\Nthat is here, that still lives on Twitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.04,0:02:19.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll play it for you so you can see.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.44,0:02:26.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Explosions)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.88,0:02:34.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can tell that these are two videos\Nthat have been edited together
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.63,0:02:38.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make it appear as if\Nit's one continuous shot.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.11,0:02:40.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But just by looking at it,\Nanyone could sort of see that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.90,0:02:42.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're taken from two different angles.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.81,0:02:46.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's also this thermal imaging layer\Nwhich 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: 0,0:02:53.86,0:02:56.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What human being has an infrared camera?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.99,0:02:58.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a professional piece of gear.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.85,0:03:00.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right. The video's shaky.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.60,0:03:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No security footage would've\Ncome out that quickly
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.48,0:03:05.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,given the strength of the explosion.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.22,0:03:07.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you just start, like, \Npiecing these things together.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.84,0:03:10.06,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 ground,\Nwho 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: 0,0:03:23.66,0:03:25.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Explosions)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.65,0:03:31.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can see that there isn't a missile\Nthat comes through the sky and hits.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.35,0:03:32.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that was added.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.60,0:03:33.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I spoke to him and he said,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.89,0:03:36.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Yeah, my video was taken, manipulated.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.35,0:03:41.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I kept getting all these emails\Nabout 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: 0,0:03:43.64,0:03:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And quickly after, Twitter\Nactually put out an event
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.11,0:03:51.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to show that fact checkers had concluded
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.03,0:03:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the video of the Beirut explosion was\Ndoctored 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: 0,0:04:08.03,0:04:12.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's important for us to really\Nbe quite quick to dismiss these
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.57,0:04:14.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and quite 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 him\Nand I laid out my steps and said,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.51,0:04:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Here's how I know it's not real."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.36,0:04:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he's like, "Okay, \Nthat's so great to know.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.56,0:04:33.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm gonna tell my friends\Nand my family."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.62,0:04:37.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's really helpful, I think if you're\Nan individual, to create a list
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.16,0:04:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with all of these different journalists,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.44,0:04:43.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that you can monitor\Nthem during breaking news.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.78,0:04:47.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Build your own little stable of experts\Nthat you trust, that are verified,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.84,0:04:50.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that way you might see\Nthat what you're about to share
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.93,0:04:53.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually showed up here\Nas something that you shouldn't.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.56,0:04:54.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Exactly.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.72,0:04:57.87,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.\NThousands 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: 0,0:05:08.02,0:05:11.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But reliable news takes time.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.09,0:05:15.11,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: 0,0:05:22.40,0:05:26.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if 2020 has taught us anything,\Nit most surely will break -
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.22,0:05:28.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you'll already know who to go to.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.86,0:05:31.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until next time. Keep it real. \NDon't spread fake news.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.60,0:05:34.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm Hari Sreenivasan\Nand this is Take On Fake.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.91,0:05:37.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.96,0:05:40.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For more indepth\Ninvestigations like this one,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.13,0:05:42.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,follow our guest Emmanuelle\NSaliba on Twitter.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.27,0:05:44.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can find a link in the description.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.12,0:05:47.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let us know what you think in comments\Nand don't forget to subscribe,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.38,0:05:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you know when the next \Nepisode of TakeOnFake drops.