What's Happening?
Recent social media posts have circulated images purportedly showing the biblical sea monster Leviathan 'waking up' off the coast of Virginia. These images, shared widely on platforms like Threads and Facebook, include a Google Maps screenshot depicting
a snake-like shape near Virginia. However, fact-checking has revealed that these images are manipulated. The snake-like shape is actually a scaled-down image of the Scotia Arc, a natural formation of islands and underwater mountains near Antarctica, edited into the Virginia coastline screenshot. The original Google Maps does not show any such shape off Virginia's coast. The posts have been debunked as fake, with the Scotia Arc's actual location being between Antarctica and South America.
Why It's Important?
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of misinformation on social media, where manipulated images and false claims can quickly spread and mislead the public. Such misinformation can contribute to unnecessary panic or confusion, especially when linked to natural phenomena or weather events. The rapid dissemination of these false claims underscores the need for critical evaluation of online content and the importance of fact-checking before sharing information. It also reflects the broader challenge of combating fake news in the digital age, where visual content can be easily altered and presented as factual.
