Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Altered Video That Makes Pelosi Seem Drunk Goes Viral
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
May 24, 2019

Share

Video footage slowed down to give the false impression that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was slurring her words is circulating widely across social media platforms.

The distorted video is based on real footage from a Center for American Progress conference in Washington on Wednesday, showing Pelosi referencing her claim that President Donald Trump was engaged in a cover-up. As of early Friday, the altered version had raked in millions of views.

Associated Press journalists did a side-by-side comparison of the false video with C-SPAN footage and concluded that the altered video had been slowed down. AP journalists who monitored the event said Pelosi appeared coherent throughout.

Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at the University of California, Berkeley, said the video had been slowed down by 75%, creating a significant distortion in Pelosi’s speech.

“It is not somebody using the latest technology,” Farid said. “Anybody can do this.”

Experts on “deepfake” videos have been warning about the potential of digitally altered videos to push fraudulent claims.

The video emerged as the relationship between Trump and Pelosi has deteriorated into her questioning his fitness for office and the president attacking her sanity. Early Wednesday, Pelosi said she believed Trump had engaged in a cover-up of the Russia probe. Pelosi repeated her comments about Trump later at the conference.

Posts claiming Pelosi appears drunk or sluggish during events often make the rounds on social media following her press conferences.

Not the First Case of ‘Dumb Fakes’

Contacted about the video Friday, a Pelosi spokesman referred to a tweet from the speaker the day before. The tweet was in response to Trump’s criticism of Pelosi. “When the ‘extremely stable genius’ starts acting more presidential, I’ll be happy to work with him on infrastructure, trade and other issues,” Pelosi’s tweet said.

Farid said the latest video is reminiscent of an altered video of CNN reporter Jim Acosta that was tweeted out by the Trump administration last year.

“What worries me is that these dumb fakes have whipped up the president, the White House, Giuliani and his supporters,” he said, referring to Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney. “What is going to happen when you get these sophisticated fakes?”

DON'T MISS

Going the Distance: Gray and Duarte Whisker Apart as End of CA-13 Race Draws Near

DON'T MISS

Trent Williams’ Wife, Sondra, Says Their Son Was Stillborn

DON'T MISS

Hall of Famer Randy Moss Reveals He’s ‘Battling Something’ Internal and Asks for Prayers

DON'T MISS

US Job Openings Rose Last Month, Though Hiring Slowed, in Mixed Picture for Labor Market

DON'T MISS

Timberwolves Blow out Lakers Behind Randle, Gobert, and Tough Defense

DON'T MISS

Texans’ Al-Shaair Suspended 3 Games After Violent Hit on Trevor Lawrence

DON'T MISS

France’s Government Looks on the Brink of Collapse. What’s Next?

DON'T MISS

California Bill Would Allow Public University Admission Priority for Slaves’ Descendants

DON'T MISS

Middle East Latest: Israeli Minister Warns of Wider Strikes on Lebanon if Ceasefire Collapses

DON'T MISS

South Korean President Declares Martial Law and Accuses Opposition of ‘Anti-State’ Activity

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Pence Testifies Before Election Probe Grand Jury

UP NEXT

House Republicans Pass US Debt Bill, Push Biden on Spending

UP NEXT

Mike Pence Wants Swift Execution of Mass Shooters to Combat Gun Violence

UP NEXT

As Defense Chief, Carter Opened Combat Jobs to Women, Ended Transgender Ban

UP NEXT

Israeli Forces Raid Gunmen’s Hideout in West Bank; 5 Palestinians Killed

US Job Openings Rose Last Month, Though Hiring Slowed, in Mixed Picture for Labor Market

47 minutes ago

Timberwolves Blow out Lakers Behind Randle, Gobert, and Tough Defense

50 minutes ago

Texans’ Al-Shaair Suspended 3 Games After Violent Hit on Trevor Lawrence

55 minutes ago

France’s Government Looks on the Brink of Collapse. What’s Next?

56 minutes ago

California Bill Would Allow Public University Admission Priority for Slaves’ Descendants

1 hour ago

Middle East Latest: Israeli Minister Warns of Wider Strikes on Lebanon if Ceasefire Collapses

1 hour ago

South Korean President Declares Martial Law and Accuses Opposition of ‘Anti-State’ Activity

1 hour ago

Director of ‘2000 Mules’ Acknowledges the Conspiratorial Film Was Flawed

5 hours ago

Visalia’s Keira Bixler Hopes Passion for Literacy Will Help Land Miss America’s Teen Title

16 hours ago

Ex-Kansas Police Detective Found Dead on First Day of His Trial

17 hours ago

Going the Distance: Gray and Duarte Whisker Apart as End of CA-13 Race Draws Near

Victor A. Patton The Merced FOCUS Rachel Livinal The Merced FOCUS Just when everyone thought an election couldn’t get any closer. Democrat...

29 minutes ago

29 minutes ago

Going the Distance: Gray and Duarte Whisker Apart as End of CA-13 Race Draws Near

43 minutes ago

Trent Williams’ Wife, Sondra, Says Their Son Was Stillborn

47 minutes ago

Hall of Famer Randy Moss Reveals He’s ‘Battling Something’ Internal and Asks for Prayers

47 minutes ago

US Job Openings Rose Last Month, Though Hiring Slowed, in Mixed Picture for Labor Market

50 minutes ago

Timberwolves Blow out Lakers Behind Randle, Gobert, and Tough Defense

55 minutes ago

Texans’ Al-Shaair Suspended 3 Games After Violent Hit on Trevor Lawrence

56 minutes ago

France’s Government Looks on the Brink of Collapse. What’s Next?

1 hour ago

California Bill Would Allow Public University Admission Priority for Slaves’ Descendants

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend