Have you seen this viral photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin? It shows the authoritarian leader in the middle of an intense discussion between other world leaders at the G-20. But it’s completely fake. And the fakery has even inspired a meme.
Putin supporters have been circulating the image to make it look like the Russian president is in the middle of the action. But it’s bullshit. How do we know it’s fake? Because we have multiple camera angles on that exact moment from a variety of photographers.
Запад смеётся над путинскими идиотами-пропагандонами Марковым и Соловьевым. pic.twitter.com/5hRQVvu5I4 — Наша Канада (@NashaCanada) July 9, 2017
Запад смеётся над путинскими идиотами-пропагандонами Марковым и Соловьевым. pic.twitter.com/5hRQVvu5I4
— Наша Канада (@NashaCanada) July 9, 2017
The original image that has since been photoshopped was taken by Kayhan Ozer for Getty Images. Other photographers like Markus Schreiber for the Associated Press took some identical photos during the discussion, reports Reuters
As you can see, America’s own authoritarian leader Donald Trump is speaking with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The empty seat was for the UK’s Theresa May as Angela Merkel looks over their shoulders.
And the good people of the internet have done what the internet does best when something has been found out as fake: They’ve made even more fakes.
Like this one showing North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in the middle of the action.
