UPDATE: The Real Thing arriving at 8AM. I’ll leave this here until then, just as reassurance—please don’t add comments.
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It could be the clocks, it could be the weather...
There is a new controversy in the coverage of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. She has been nearly invisible for months. Yesterday the Royal Family released a photo of her smiling surrounded by her three children. The photo was abruptly removed from circulation by three new organizations including the AP. The AP says that they believe the photo had been altered by “the source” (the Royal Family).
I bring this up, not because I am suddenly fascinated by Windsor family gossip. What I find very interesting and promising here is that news organizations like the AP are investing in detecting altered photos (whether altered by AI or by other means). Nothing jumped out at me in the photo—maybe they have sophisticated software to catch fakes. (Or maybe they’re wrong.)
This focus may be vital in the Presidential campaign, where an “October surprise” doctored photo may be waiting in the wings.