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Viral Gaza Satellite Images Are Older Than Claimed, Bellingcat Finds
Original: Viral Google Maps Images Shared Widely This Week Show Gaza Ruins. We Obtained More Recent Satellite Imagery - bellingcat
Bellingcat reports that images circulating this week, widely shared as a fresh Google Maps update showing the ruins of Gaza, were not entirely new. The open-source investigators obtained more recent satellite imagery to establish what the area actually looks like now. The finding highlights how outdated or recycled satellite pictures can spread quickly during the conflict, shaping perceptions of destruction on the ground.
Why now: Widely shared claims that Google had released new Gaza imagery prompted fact-checking that revealed the pictures were older than believed.
Rank over time, top of the chart is #1. 66 snapshots from 16 h ago to 5 min ago.
Evidence
- Viral Google Maps Images Shared Widely This Week Show Gaza Ruins. We Obtained More Recent Satellite Imagery - bellingcat · bellingcat
Earlier this week, several viral social media posts and news articles stated that Google had updated satellite imagery over Gaza. But the images weren't entirely new.
API: https://socialmediatrends-api.osmike.com/v1/trends/626991