Images have a major impact on how the public perceives reality, as they are often considered direct evidence of events. However, the development of digital technologies and the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools have created new opportunities for the manipulation of visual content. Through these techniques, photographs can be created, altered or placed in false contexts, in order to influence public opinion.
Hibrid.info's monitoring shows that image manipulation is widely used to construct political, ethnic, social, and propagandistic narratives, especially during sensitive periods, such as election periods, political debates, and security-related developments.
Images generated with artificial intelligence (AI)
Image generation through artificial intelligence is one of the most advanced forms of visual manipulation. Through AI tools, photorealistic images of people, documents, or events that never existed can be created. These contents may contain elements that indicate their artificial origin, such as finger deformities, meaningless text on documents or in the background, and unrealistic details in flags, uniforms, or technical equipment.
Hibrid.info has identified numerous cases in which AI-generated images have been used to create false political and social narratives.
Such a category includes the presentation of political meetings that did not take placeIn these cases, AI-generated images have been distributed, presented as authentic photographs of meetings between political figures. This group includes alleged photo of Glauk Konjufca with Enver Hoxhaj in a cafe, as well as images that falsely portrayed him Albin Kurti in meetings with Serbian politicians, including Vojislav Kostunica, Aleksandar Vučić, Vojislav Sešelj and Milan Radojčić. A fake image claiming to be a meeting between Kurti and Slavko Simic.
Another use of AI is related to creating false official documentsOne such case was the distribution of a document presented as "Decree" of former president Hashim Thaçi on the land of the Deçan MonasteryHibrid.info's verification showed that the document was not authentic and contained signs that it had been created through artificial intelligence tools.
During election periods, AI-generated images have also been used for political propaganda, including fake images of immigrants appearing to vote for a political entity, as well as images of people in professional attire accompanied by electoral slogans.
In addition to politics, these techniques have also been used in content related to security and industry. Hibrid.info has verified cases in which fake images have been distributed claiming that featured ammunition and drone factories in Kosovo, as well as views of an alleged attack on police in Skenderaj.
AI-generated content has also been identified in the fields of sports and social issues, such as the image featuring footballer Lamine Yamal with the World Cup trophy and his grandmother, as well as images that claimed to show the transportation of stray dogs in Kosovo Polje, which featured the Google Gemini logo.
Photomontage and technical editing
Photomontage is a traditional visual manipulation technique that involves interfering with an existing photograph by adding, removing, or replacing elements. Unlike fully AI-generated images, in this case a real photograph is used as a base, but its content is altered to give it a different meaning.
One of the cases identified by Hibrid.info was the manipulated photo, in which Albin Kurti appeared next to former Serbian president Slobodan MilosevicThe original photograph was taken during Milosevic's speech in Belgrade in 1989, while Kurti's figure was artificially placed in that environment.
Another example was the manipulated photo of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, where a Quran was placed in his hands, to support a false claim related to religious policies.
Taking it out of context
One of the most common forms of manipulation is the use of real photographs, placing them in the context of an event to which they are not related. In this case, the photograph is authentic, but the description that accompanies it is untrue.
An example covered by Hibrid.info relates to photographs of members of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the war, which Serbian channels on Telegram have used out of context to support claims about the so-called "Yellow House"The photographs depicted the medical treatment of soldiers, including a photograph in which Time Kadrijaj was seen providing medical treatment to Agim Ramadani, but they were used to reinforce unfounded narratives about organ trafficking.
Media Framing
Selective framing occurs when a portion of a photo or video is selected and presented without the full context. By cropping the image, cutting out a frame from the video, or choosing a specific angle, an interpretation is created that does not match the full reality of the event.
A case identified by Hibrid.info is related to a view from Gazimestan, where a policeman was seen facing a crying child. The footage was used to create the impression that the officer was behaving aggressively towards the child. However, the full video showed that the officer was actually trying to calm the child down and the situation was completely different from how it was portrayed through the cutaway footage.
Generating fake newspaper front pages
Another form of visual manipulation is the creation of fake newspaper front pages or portal images that are intended to look like real media publications. Through applications and online platforms, images can easily be created that mimic the design and visual identity of popular media.
Hibrid.info has identified cases in which manipulated front pages have been created, such as this one which imitated the German newspaper "BILD" and presented Albin Kurti with labels as "Serbian spy" and "communist".
Another case was a the fake front page imitating the Serbian newspaper "Večernje Novosti", in which it was claimed that Belgrade thanked Lumir Abdixhiku for the early elections. The content had linguistic errors and incorrect names, which indicated that it was not an authentic publication.
Republishing old images as snapshots of current events
Another method of disinformation is the use of old photos or videos and presenting them as material related to current events. This technique exploits the lack of verification of the date and source of the visual material.
A case handled by Hibrid.info was old photo of a group of Albanian students in Denmark, including Albin KurtiThis photograph was distributed by Serbian media with the false claim that it depicted Kurti with the daughter of a former Serbian minister.
As well, an old video of the Kosovo Security Force in South Mitrovica was used with the false claim that it showed KSF movements in northern Kosovo.
In the political context, an old photograph of Bekim Jashari next to Bedri Hamza was used to falsely claim that it proved Jashari's current support for PDK.
cONcluSiON
Image manipulation is one of the most widespread forms of contemporary disinformation. From creating completely fake photos with artificial intelligence to using real images out of context, these techniques aim to influence how the public perceives social and political events and actors.
The cases documented by Hibrid.info show that images should not be automatically treated as evidence of reality. Verifying the source, checking the context, using technological tools for verification, and developing media education are essential elements for preventing the spread of false narratives through visual content.