25.03.2026, Moscow.
The scandal involving a video in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have a sixth finger on his right hand proves that the emergence of neural networks capable of generating realistic videos has marked the end of the era when video was considered reliable evidence, Rossa Primavera News Agency IT Desk notes.
The controversy arose from a press conference by Netanyahu, the video of which was published on official platforms. In one frame, an extra finger was noticed, which led to claims that the video had been generated. The heated discussion on this matter erupted, since the video was released shortly after Iran had struck the prime minister’s office.
The prime minister’s office denied these claims, but this cannot serve as convincing proof for those who have already believed the government could release AI generated content. Several independent fact-checkers and experts analyzed the controversial frame and stated that it was an illusion caused by the angle of the light. However, many are already aware that organizations and opinion leaders may be influenced by those who finance their “independence.”
To debunk rumors of Netanyahu’s death, a video was released on March 15 showing him buying coffee in a café and demonstrating that he has five fingers on each hand. But creators quickly produced videos that begin like the original and then depict the prime minister behaving irrationally.
We are living in an era where fake but realistic videos are generated faster than government press services can refute rumors. The Russian proverb “prove that you are not a camel” has taken on new meaning. If previously people had to prove that footage was staged, now they must prove that it is real.
If any video can be generated, and any real video can be declared fake, then video evidence ceases to be evidence. Of course, this shift began earlier, but the story of Netanyahu’s six fingers vividly confirms the arrival of a new reality.
So what is to be done? In this new reality, the only thing that remains is trust in the source. If a source demonstrates insincerity, even occasionally, it will struggle to convince the public, which may believe in the death of a national leader or something else. In this context, one better understands the guidance of Vladimir Lenin: “It is better to tell an unpleasant truth than to remain silent about it if the matter is serious,” and “One must speak to the masses with bitter truth simply, clearly, and directly.”
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
