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Social media users have been captivated by claims of a mysterious time traveler allegedly stuck in the year 2055, with videos showing a masked figure wandering through deserted French landmarks. However, fact-checkers have thoroughly debunked these viral claims, revealing them to be an elaborate creative project rather than evidence of time travel.
The videos, which gained significant traction in early 2024, featured a person wearing a distinctive white mask exploring eerily empty locations, including the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower in France. The footage showed no people, traffic, or ambient noise, though electrical systems and vending machines appeared to be functioning.
One widely shared post on X claimed: “THIS MAN CLAIMS HE’S STUCK IN FRANCE IN THE YEAR 2055 – AND NO ONE CAN DEBUNK HIS VIDEOS.” The post alleged the videos had been circulating for years, predating AI video tools, and challenged viewers to explain how the creator managed to film the Mona Lisa from inches away without triggering alarms or being stopped by security.
The videos contained supposed “evidence” of the future date, including a bottle from a vending machine with an expiration date of April 2, 2055, and footage of PlayStation 7 games—a console that doesn’t currently exist.
Investigation revealed the content creator behind the footage uses the handle @whitemask2055 across various platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Careful examination of the videos exposed several inconsistencies that debunked the time travel narrative.
Most notably, multiple videos featured bottles of different brands—Fanta, Perrier, and Limedrink—all bearing identical yellow bottle caps with the same expiration date: April 2, 2055. This repetition of the exact same date across different products strongly indicated deliberate staging rather than authentic future artifacts.
Another revealing discovery involved footage allegedly showing the unreleased Grand Theft Auto VI video game. Fact-checkers identified this clip as repurposed content from YouTuber CHRI TV, who specializes in creating concept art and speculative gameplay for upcoming video games.
The earliest video in this series appeared in October 2022, with a caption claiming to show the year 2054. Importantly, many of the creator’s videos included the hashtag #fakesituation, explicitly labeling them as fictional content rather than documentary evidence.
In October 2023, @whitemask2055 posted a video explaining that the content was indeed a creative project, not actual time travel footage. The creator reinforced this by releasing a behind-the-scenes video showing how the deserted scenes were achieved, with crowds of people visible in the background of some shots.
The popularity of these videos demonstrates social media’s powerful role in spreading unusual claims, even when creators explicitly label their content as fictional. The narrative’s appeal likely stems from its combination of familiar landmarks with an apocalyptic emptiness, tapping into both curiosity about the future and anxieties about societal collapse.
Despite clear indications that the content was fabricated, many viewers continued sharing the videos as potential evidence of time travel, highlighting how compelling visual storytelling can sometimes override critical evaluation of unlikely claims.
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8 Comments
Interesting concept, but the evidence just doesn’t seem to hold up. Elaborate hoaxes can be very convincing these days, and this appears to be another example. Kudos to the creators for the impressive visuals, but I’ll need more proof before believing in time travel.
Fascinating footage, but it’s likely just an elaborate hoax. The lack of people and traffic looks too staged to be real time travel. Still, it’s entertaining to imagine what the future might hold.
This is an intriguing story, but I’m not sure I buy the time travel claims. The videos are visually striking, but the lack of credible proof leaves me skeptical. Still, it’s the kind of thing that sparks the imagination.
While the videos are certainly attention-grabbing, I’m inclined to agree with the fact-checkers that this is likely just a clever creative project, not real evidence of time travel. The lack of context and corroboration makes the claims hard to take seriously.
I concur. The videos may be visually striking, but without substantive proof, it’s best to approach these claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. Creative stunts can be very convincing these days.
I’m skeptical of claims of time travel, but this is certainly an intriguing creative project. The attention to detail in the videos is impressive, even if it’s all just an illusion.
I agree, the visuals are quite compelling, but without solid proof, it’s best to take these claims with a grain of salt. Creative stunts like this can be very convincing.
While the videos are certainly eye-catching, I’m not convinced this is genuine time travel. The lack of any real-world context or corroborating evidence makes it seem more like a well-executed hoax. Still, it’s an interesting piece of viral content.