AI-manipulated image of Philippine tennis star sporting…

An AI-manipulated photograph of Philippine tennis star Alex Eala recently circulated online, falsely depicting her carrying a tote bag that expressed political support for Vice President Sara Duterte. The fabricated image appeared amidst ongoing public speculation regarding Eala's political leanings following her recent international success.

What happened

On August 20, 2024, a Facebook group titled "Protect Vice President Sara Duterte" shared an image showing Eala arriving at a match carrying a bag emblazoned with the words "Sara Duterte 2028" and a portrait of the politician. The post gained traction as Eala’s profile rose after a breakthrough run at the ATP Washington Open, where she defeated high-profile opponents.

Investigation revealed the image was an alteration of an authentic photograph taken by sports journalist Dyan Castillejo on August 3. In the original picture, Eala was carrying a Nike tote bag featuring a floral design inspired by the sampaguita, the Philippines' national flower, as part of a collection honoring her roots. The manipulated version replaced the authentic bag design with political imagery. Further technical analysis using Google’s SynthID detector indicated a high degree of confidence that the image was generated using Google’s AI tools. While the athlete had previously faced online rumors regarding her choice to wear a green outfit—a color associated with Duterte—Eala made no political statements during the tournament, clarifying only that she selected the outfit from several available color options.