TOI Uses A Fake Image To Alert Readers About Kiki Challenge

The Times of India was called out on Twitter for using an image from a fake video of the “Kiki” challenge in its story.

(Photo: Boom)

The Times of India was called out on Twitter for using an image from a fake video of Kiki challenge in its 30 July story, ‘Punjab Cops Worry as Kiki Dare Spreads’.

The Kiki challenge is a viral dance challenge or a stunt in which people are supposed to jump out of their vehicles and dance to the track ‘In My Feelings’ by Canadian rapper Drake while their cars move. It is called the Kiki challenge as the lyric of the song goes, ‘Kiki do you love me’.

In a tweet, now deleted, the caption below the image used by TOI twitter handle says, ‘A grab from a video that went viral on social media shows one of the youngsters who got hurt while taking the challenge’.

A closer look at the video, from where the screengrab has been taken, shows that it is an edited one. The door of the car remains still throughout and it is zoomed in and out to fit in the frame.

The door has been used as a jacket within which the original video has been inserted. The irregular edges of the door show that it has been cut out from a video. In technical terms, the door has been used as an alpha jacket for the video.

Twitter users were quick to point out the gaffe and identify the video to be an old one. However, the daily has not taken down the images.

The original video is called the Nagar Palika video. This video by Shahid Alvi, who has around 2 lakh followers on Youtube, had gone viral in October 2017. In the video he is seen falling into a pit and abusing the municipal corporation for it.

Disclaimer: The language used in the video is abusive.

BOOM also found the video from which the door frame has been cut out. The door seen in the fake video is the same in the video below.

What is the ‘Kiki’ Challenge?

The dance stunt has created quite a stir on social media around the world. It began with comedian and online personality Shiggy posting a video of him dancing to the song on a road. Thus, the viral challenge is also called the Shiggy challenge.

Other celebrities including actor Will Smith and singer Ciara also posted their Kiki Challenge videos online.

Several videos have surfaced on social media of people attempting the challenge. It also include failed attempts of people crashing into poles and falling into pits and potholes.

Police from different countries including India and Spain have warned people about the dangers of the challenge.

In India, Mumbai Police and UP Police tweeted videos cautioning people against enacting the challenge.

(This story first appe on BOOM and has been republished with permission)

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