CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A photo circulating online showing the American flag flying upside down outside the U.S. Department of State has raised questions from social media users about its authenticity. The image, which has been shared across platforms like Reddit, X, and TikTok, shows the flag hanging at full mast but inverted.
Is the photo real? If so, what does it mean? Let’s verify.
OUR SOURCES:
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Reverse image searching
WHAT WE FOUND:
The U.S. Flag Code states that the American flag should “never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
The VERIFY team conducted a reverse image search to find the source of the photo. Results show it was originally uploaded to Reddit on February 5th. This raised questions about whether the image may be AI-generated.
The Better Business Bureau says one way to identify AI is by finding a high-resolution photo and zooming in to look for inconsistencies. The VERIFY team noticed the stars on the flag were not visible.
The BBB also shared that AI-generated photos often feature unusual textures or airbrushed backgrounds that are absent in real photographs.
The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the photo’s legitimacy.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the image is authentic, and if it is, whether the upside-down flag was a mistake or a deliberate act signaling distress.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.