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Two children. Both watching people who are fleeing. Images about migration can trigger very different emotions. Who deserves our sympathy? And who decides that?
A boy in Gaza watching people fleeing – photographed by Ahmed Waheidi for the ICRC’s AV archive.
AI-manipulated – instead of Gaza, now Switzerland; instead of a boy, a blonde girl watching Ukrainian refugees at the train station.
Studies show that we perceive refugees differently depending on their origin.
Images from Europe appear “more tragic” or “more dignified” than scenes from the Global South.
AI can reinforce these tendencies and thus reproduce prejudices.
Fakes can influence who we give our compassion to – and who we don’t.
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59% of the European population showed more solidarity with Ukrainian refugees than with Syrian refugees.
(Source: Eurobarometer, 2022)
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AI training data predominantly comes from Western image archives – leading to an overrepresentation of white, Western narratives.
(Source: arXiv, 2020)
The media report on refugees from Europe significantly more often using positive terms such as “protection” or “solidarity.”
(Source: Euromesco Policy Brief, 2022)
Who do I see – and who do I not see?
Compare news from various sources.Compare news from different sources.
AI often shows Western-oriented scenes – question them consciously.
How does the text describe people? Victim? threat? Destiny?
“What if AI not only changes images, but also shapes or amplifies our empathy?”
Welcome to WHAT THE FAKE – discover more image pairs, facts, and tips.
