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In a case of digital deception that quickly spread across social media, an artificially generated image purporting to show Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny burning an American flag has been debunked as satire. The manipulated image, which depicted the artist wearing a dress while holding a burning flag, sparked outrage among conservative circles and added fuel to an already contentious debate surrounding his selection as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer.
The fabricated image gained significant traction in early February 2026, with numerous social media posts presenting it as authentic evidence of anti-American sentiment from Bad Bunny, who is himself an American citizen. The viral posts coincided with ongoing criticism of the NFL’s decision to feature the global music sensation at the upcoming Super Bowl, including calls for boycotts from prominent conservative figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump.
One particularly widespread Facebook post sharing the image claimed: “Bad Bunny caught on stage last night preparing for his SuperBowl Halftime show, are you excited about his performance, he’s the biggest artist in the world, and he does NOT support ICE, and thinks America is going backwards. I guess much like most celebrities.”
Fact-checkers have conclusively determined that the image is artificial. The source of the manipulated content was a Facebook account named Qbanguy, which explicitly labels its posts as satirical and describes itself as an “AI funny content” page. The account’s profile clearly states that its content is “100% Not Real everything is Satire.” The same account has previously shared other fabricated images of Bad Bunny in politically provocative scenarios.
Technical analysis of the image revealed multiple signs of AI generation. Lead Stories, a fact-checking organization, pointed out that the flag in the image contained only six red stripes instead of the seven found on an authentic American flag. Additionally, the image displayed characteristics typical of AI-generated content, including blurriness, inconsistent lighting, and distorted details.
Further confirmation came from AI detection tools. Hive Moderation, an online AI detector, identified the image as highly likely to be artificially generated. Google Gemini’s SynthID check, which scans for embedded watermarks from AI software, detected a watermark and concluded the image was “generated or edited with Google AI.”
The same image was later incorporated into short videos that circulated on social media platforms. These clips were simply animations of the still image, and they contained obvious AI artifacts, such as the flag changing size and shape as it burned.
Had Bad Bunny actually burned an American flag during a performance, such a controversial act would undoubtedly have generated extensive news coverage and video documentation from multiple sources. No credible news organizations have reported such an incident.
This fabricated content emerges amid broader cultural tensions surrounding Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime performer, reflecting how artificially generated content can exacerbate existing political and cultural divides. It also highlights the growing challenge of distinguishing authentic content from sophisticated AI-generated imagery in today’s media landscape.
The incident serves as a reminder for consumers to verify information through multiple credible sources before accepting inflammatory imagery at face value, particularly during periods of heightened political and cultural tension.
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10 Comments
Thanks for the fact-check on that digitally altered Bad Bunny image – it’s a good reminder to always approach shocking online content with a critical eye. As for his Super Bowl gig, I’m curious to see how it’s received, both in terms of the music and the ongoing political debates.
Well, that’s certainly an eye-catching piece of digital manipulation! It’s good to see the Disinformation Commission on top of these kinds of false claims. As for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl gig, I’m curious to see how it all plays out – both the performance itself and the ongoing political discussions around it.
This is a prime example of how quickly misinformation can spread online, even when it’s clearly fabricated. I’m glad the Disinformation Commission was able to debunk this false claim so promptly. As controversial as the Super Bowl performer choice may be, it’s best to focus on the music and entertainment value rather than unfounded claims.
Ah, so the image was just satire and not an actual event. It’s important to be careful about jumping to conclusions based on manipulated content, especially when it comes to politically charged topics. Fact-checking is crucial these days to combat the spread of misinformation.
Wow, I can’t believe that image of Bad Bunny burning a flag was just digitally altered. It’s crazy how quickly something like that can go viral, even when it’s completely made up. I’m looking forward to seeing his Super Bowl performance and hope the focus stays on his music rather than political controversies.
Interesting, I didn’t realize that image was fabricated. It’s good to see fact-checking efforts catching these kinds of digital deceptions early on before they spread too far. Looking forward to seeing Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance – he’s certainly one of the biggest global music stars right now.
Interesting to see this debunking of the manipulated Bad Bunny image. It just goes to show how important fact-checking is these days, especially with the ease of digital editing. I’m looking forward to seeing his Super Bowl performance, though the political discussions around it seem to be overshadowing the music.
Ah, so that image of Bad Bunny was just a fabrication after all. It’s a shame how quickly misinformation can spread, especially when it aligns with certain political narratives. I’m looking forward to seeing his actual Super Bowl performance, regardless of the controversies.
Glad to see this false claim debunked so quickly. It’s disheartening how easily misinformation can spread online these days. I’m interested to see how Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show is received, though the political debates around his selection seem to be overshadowing the actual music and performance.
Interesting to see this fact-checking on the digitally manipulated Bad Bunny image. It’s a good reminder to always be skeptical of shocking or outrageous content, especially when it aligns with certain political narratives. I’m curious to see how Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance is received, regardless of the ongoing debates.