We cut to another reporter standing outside what she says is the Prime Minister’s home, which “looks empty”.
There is a quick interview with a man who says he saw Gayford outside Bunnings, talking on his mobile and looking worried. And another with a young woman who posted a rumour about Ardern and Gayford on social media and complains about an employee of the couple being paid with taxpayers’ money.
The video is convincing – if you watched it, you might be inclined to believe there was a hidden scandal being covered up by the government and its supporters in the media.
Thankfully, you will never see it. The video was produced in strictly controlled circumstances by my students at the University of Otago, as part of a course on teaching them how to combat fake news. They learnt how easy it was to produce deceptive content and what to look for when they see it on their social media feeds.
The studio background is fake. The video has no facts, just random questions and suggestive commentary.
If only those rumours were confined to classroom sessions. Instead, crazy conspiracy theories about Ardern and her partner continue to proliferate on social media.
Denne historien er fra June 4 - 10, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 4 - 10, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.