An image of Parkland, Fla., survivor Emma Gonzalez ripping up the Constitution is lighting up parts of the Internet.
But that image is a grossly manipulated version of the original, which actually shows Gonzalez tearing a poster of a shooting target for a Teen Vogue article.
Storyful research director Ben Decker explained how the altered image came to be.
“You had a number of people on 4Chan -- obviously, one of the vanguards and origins of a lot of disinformation stories -- essentially asking people if they could take it apart and recreate the...meme,” he said.
Sites like 4Chan and Gab have grown in popularity as traditional social media sites have tried to crack down on the spread of disinformation.
“Gab, for instance, which claims to have almost a million users, essentially started with a large number of people who were kicked off of Twitter and...Facebook,” Decker said.
Another option called “Gunbook” emerged soon after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“A Scottish man realized that he couldn’t advertise most of his gun ownership...on Facebook. So now all of a sudden you have a completely new space where people are...continuing this conversation about having to defend the Second Amendment.”
The image of Gonzalez is just one example of how the stringent supporters of gun rights have been vilifying the survivors of the Parkland, Fla., shooting.
In the immediate aftermath, conspiracy theorists perpetuated the idea that David Hogg, another student survivor, was a crisis actor.
According to Decker, the easiest way to spot fake images online is to use Google’s reverse image search feature, which will bring up the starting points for much of the viral content.
“But ultimately, I think there needs to be a real understanding of...how would this play into a narrative either on the left or the right. We have to consume news in a much more objective mindset.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-real-dangers-of-fake-news).
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
