Wrote: Lyra Seal
A video showing some young people from Vlora waving the Albanian flag has been published on Instagram and Facebook.
The video was published on November 14 by the “JOQ Albania” page on Facebook and InstagramThrough the description, it is claimed that this happened in Belgrade, presenting it as a courageous and symbolic act in the heart of the Serbian capital.
The truth?
But behind these images lies a completely different truth. After verifying the images through verification tools, it turns out that this video was not made in Belgrade.
A simple analysis with the Google Lens tool shows that the building shown in the background is not in Belgrade, but in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Google Lens, a tool that allows the identification of objects and locations through images, has been used to analyze images from video recordings. This tool, which works by comparing the visual elements of a photo with a global database, thus enables the finding of the exact location or original source of an image.
In this case, Google Lens analysis clearly shows that the building seen in the video is the Embassy of Serbia in Budapest. The structure, architectural style and surrounding elements of the building fully match the photograph of the Embassy of Serbia, which can also be identified through other platforms such as Google MapsOn these platforms, location images offer a similar perspective, reinforcing the conclusion that the video was not made in Belgrade.
To further confirm this, other sources such as Dreamtime and Mapy.cz offer clear, verified images of the building. Dreamstime, a platform for licensed stock photos, has an identifiable image of the Serbian Embassy in Budapest, taken from a similar angle to the one used in the original post.
As well, mapy.cz, an interactive map, shows the exact location of the building and its surroundings.
A large discussion on Reddit, in the r/geoguessr subforum, also refers to this building, identifying it as part of the city of Budapest and not Belgrade. In these discussions, users share precise details about the elements that make it possible to distinguish the locations, such as the embassy nameplate and the surrounding environment that is unique to the Budapest area.
Analyze:
On November 14, 2024, the “JOQ Albania” pages on Instagram and Facebook published several images of several people with the Albanian flag, claiming that these people were waving the Albanian flag in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. However, after verifying the facts, it turns out that this claim is incorrect. The video was not shot in Belgrade, but near the Serbian Embassy building in Budapest.
The manipulation consists in using an authentic video recording, but taken out of context and presented with a different story. For those unfamiliar with the specific location of the building, this claim seems plausible. Such a detail is a clear example of how an image can be used to spread a certain message, even when it does not correspond to reality.
Based on Hibrid.info's methodology and detailed analysis of this case, the publication content is assessed as ""Unverified content."
Reasoning:
The "Unverified" rating is given to those informative contents that do not provide sufficient information to confirm the claims made in the report, and which could not be verified due to certain circumstances (speed, lack of sources) during the publication of the content.
This article was prepared as part of the project 'Countering Disinformation through Innovation and Experimental Learning', supported by the Embassy of the United States of America in Pristina. The article has been verified by the Hibrid.info team and experts engaged to ensure compliance with our fact-checking methodology. This article contains factual verifications, but does not necessarily reflect the views of Hibrid.info or the US Embassy.