

The Secret to Iranian Drone Technology? Just Add Photoshop - aioprisan
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/11/iran-drone-photoshopped/59404/

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jacquesm
Doctoring pictures for propaganda purposes has been practiced for a long time
by many different parties.

Two examples from the United States.

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7738342.stm>

[http://observers.france24.com/content/20080924-us-army-
photo...](http://observers.france24.com/content/20080924-us-army-photoshopped-
images-soldiers-killed-iraq)

The Chinese even used footage from TopGun in a propaganda piece:

[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8291729...](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8291729/China-
red-faced-after-footage-of-new-fighter-was-from-Top-Gun.html)

What I don't get is that the Iranians and those responsible for the US
photoshops think that this sort of thing will go unnoticed.

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chc
I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that first story is the same thing.

They gave the General a more aesthetically appealing background. It is
unethical from a photojournalistic standpoint, where failing to check whether
"Michelle" is spelled with one L or two for the cutline is also considered
unethical — but I don't think most people would consider it deceitful. Family
photos taken in a studio very often have false backgrounds, but very seldom do
people look at their shelves and mourn that the photos of their loved ones are
all lies.

Even the second story is not really the same thing. It's more obviously
deceitful, but it is still attempting to convey truthful information — that is
the guy who died, and he wore a uniform like that — rather than attempting to
mislead the viewer. It would appear that they didn't have a photo that
conveyed the information they wanted, so they pieced it together. At its
heart, it is much like using a sketch when you don't have a photo. The message
is all truthful, so it is still a step above the propaganda discussed in the
OP.

~~~
patmcguire
There's a lot of things that get touched up without an intent to deceive.
Probably the most famous non-malicious photo editing:

[http://files.petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2012/08/kent1_mini...](http://files.petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2012/08/kent1_mini.jpg)
<http://www.maniacworld.com/kent-state-shooting.jpg>

~~~
pacaro
I had to open in separate windows and compare side by side to see the
difference (obvious though it is) - by some weird coincidence, Neil Young was
wailing "Four dead in Ohio" over my headphones while I was looking...

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Shivetya
One would assume this is part of a process which is permitted by upper levels
of their government. After all, what do they do when they cannot deliver and
someone upstairs expects it?

I wonder if they will photoshop the bomb.

------
Irregardless
Imagine the destruction they could Photoshop onto America. We better disable
Google satellite view before they erase our homes and rain pixelated fire down
on the entire country. Oh, the horror!

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jakeonthemove
"when, presumably, Iran _releases the crack_ to CS6" :-)

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islon
Iran is asking to be trolled.

