Misinformation Exploits India-Pakistan Conflict with Doctored Marvel Video
Following a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on May 10, 2025, ending days of intense fighting sparked by an attack in the disputed Kashmir region, a manipulated video emerged online, spreading misinformation about the conflict. The video, which gained significant traction on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, falsely portrays a political message related to India’s response to the Kashmir attack. In reality, the original footage is completely unrelated to the conflict, featuring actor Sebastian Stan in a promotional clip for a Marvel Studios film.
The manipulated video shows an individual approaching a bus stop and replacing a poster reading "Tell Modi" with another stating "I Told Modi." This alteration attempts to connect the video to the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where a survivor recounted the gunman’s chilling words after killing her husband: "I won’t kill you. Go and tell Modi." This phrase became a rallying cry in the aftermath of the attack, and the doctored video exploits this sentiment to spread misinformation and further inflame tensions.
The timing of the video’s emergence is significant. It appeared online after India claimed to have conducted strikes against "terrorist camps" in Pakistan, triggering four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals. The ceasefire, brokered by US President Donald Trump, brought a temporary halt to the hostilities. India accused Pakistan of supporting the militants responsible for the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals, primarily Hindu men – a charge Islamabad vehemently denies. The manipulated video appears designed to capitalize on the heightened emotions and existing tensions surrounding the conflict.
A thorough investigation reveals the video’s fraudulent nature. Reverse image searches and keyword analysis traced the original footage to a Marvel Studios promotional campaign for their latest superhero film, "Thunderbolts." The authentic video shows Sebastian Stan replacing a "Thunderbolts" poster with one that reads "*The New Avengers," revealing a name change for the film’s titular antihero team. This innocuous marketing stunt was hijacked and manipulated to create a false narrative around the India-Pakistan conflict.
The spread of this manipulated video highlights the dangers of misinformation in the digital age, particularly during times of heightened geopolitical tensions. The video’s rapid dissemination across social media platforms demonstrates how easily false narratives can gain traction, influencing public perception and potentially exacerbating real-world conflicts. This incident underscores the crucial need for critical thinking, media literacy, and fact-checking to combat the spread of misinformation and its potential consequences.
The manipulated video serves as a potent example of how seemingly innocuous content can be weaponized to spread propaganda and sow discord. The exploitation of a Marvel promotional clip for this purpose highlights the susceptibility of even entertainment media to manipulation in the pursuit of political agendas. This underscores the importance of verifying information from multiple sources and exercising caution when encountering emotionally charged content online, especially in the context of ongoing conflicts. The India-Pakistan conflict, with its complex history and deep-seated tensions, provides fertile ground for the spread of misinformation, making diligent fact-checking and responsible information consumption all the more critical. This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for media literacy and critical thinking in the digital age to combat the spread of false narratives and promote informed public discourse.