When fiction floods reality

Tropical Cyclone Tino made landfall in the Visayas region in early November, bringing with it destructive rains, strong winds, and widespread flooding that affected more than 2.4 million people. As the disaster garnered both regional and global attention, content creators seized the opportunity — posting and circulating Al-generated images of submerged vehicles, animals, and homes.

- By BILL URRUTIA

These fabricated images intensified public panic, adding unnecessary confusion to an already dreadful state; as if the existing situation is not stressful enough to the public. The Office of Civil Defense Region VII (OCD-7) urged content creators to post only real photos and reminded the public to stay vigilant as the line between real and Al-generated images continues to blur.

“We're just making a respectful request, especially to vloggers: if you’re going to post something, please make sure it’s real and not Al-generated,” said Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division Chief Engr. Ver Neil Balaba, in Cebuano. “That can create additional chaos, especially psychologically — Filipinos tend to be easily moved or are sympathetic, especially when they see Algenerated pictures.”

A similar incident occurred last September, when firemen from a barangay in Manila received a Facebook message reporting a burning truck on a public road. The responders arrived at the scene in full force, only to find the truck completely fine. No fire. No bystanders. No emergency. The viral image was, you guessed it, Al-generated.