• MH370 speculation has become excessive recently. Metabunk is not a forum for creating theories by speculation. It's a forum for examining claims, and seeing if they hold up. Please respect this and keep threads on-topic. There are many other forums where speculation is welcome.

Debunked: MH370 Passenger Philip Wood sends Photo/Text from Diego Garcia [Fake EXIF GPS Data]

Balance

Balance

Senior Member.
Admin Edit by @Mick West: Since the entired theory rests on the claim is that the Exif data proves the location, this claim has been debunked by post #9, which demonstrates that Exif data can be easily changed.
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/de...photo-text-from-diego-garcia.3397/#post-98709

Material from the thread reproduced here for reference, main debunking by @Mick West

Summary:
  • The photo was originally posted on 4Chan, a notorious source of internet hoaxs
  • The GPS EXIF data in a photo is trivial to modify, there are many free apps that do it
  • The GPS EXIF data in the fake photo is in a different format than a standard iPhone 5 photo's data.
  • The fake photo's GPS is consistent with the format used by Picasa when editing EXIF.
  • The fake photo lacks altitude data, which is consistent with being edited, as most editors let you select position, but not altitude.
  • Photos taken in other iPhone apps still include altitude data
  • There is no evidence it is genuine, and a vast amount of evidence that it is fake.

It's easy to fake GPS EXIF data. Here's the same "photo" with the EXIF moved to the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas:
1395192158752__flamingo.jpg


More_Info_20140402_231836.jpg


Since it's such a trivial thing to fake, and combined with the ridiculous narrative of smugging an iPhone 5 up his rectum, and the image being black (iPhone 5 has a flash) the only sensible conclusion is that this is a hoax.

The originally posted photo seems to have been clumsily faked using the free software "Picasa", which left an indication in the EXIF data, adds extra "Photoshop" metadata, and stores the GPS data in a different format.
Add_geotags_in_Picasa__Picasa_and_Picasa_Web_Albums_Help_20140404_202616.jpg


There's even several EXIF editor apps on the iPhone. Changing the GPS data is trivial.
iTunes_20140413_112756_20140413_112850.jpg


And suggesting that you'd need to be some kind of super hacker to edit it at a low level are pretty silly, for several reasons:
  • It was not edited at a low level, it looks like it was edited by at least one program like Picasa.
  • "Super hackers" actually exist
  • It's really not that hard to fake in a much more convincing manner, you just have to find the GPS data, edit it in another program, then copy over the byes that change into the original.
I'm a reasonable coder, but there are millions of people who could do this. Here's the original, which I renamed 4ChangFake.jpg, and a version I modified to be binary identical except for the GPS (4ChanFake-UK-GPS.jpg).
https://www.metabunk.org/sk/4ChanFake.jpg
https://www.metabunk.org/sk/4ChanFakeUKGPS.jpg

You can load them into a hex editor, and see all that has changed is the GPS data. An undetectable forgery, far better than the messy job posted on 4Chan.

4ChanFake_vs_4ChanFakeUKGPS_20140413_142449_20140413_142542.jpg


Programmer Ben Stragnell has written a quick tool "The Diegoizer" that takes any photo and undetectably modifies the GPS data to relocate the photo in Diego Garcia.

http://benstragnell.com/diego

For example, this photo of a mountain in California now has GPS coordinate of Diego Garcia:
https://www.metabunk.org/sk/mammothmountaindiego.jpg


OP Follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


http://jhaines6.wordpress.com/2014/...neer-successfully-dialed-out-of-diego-garcia/

External Quote:
MUST GO VIRAL. READ ALL OF THE FACTS BELOW LINK: Flight MH370 Co-ordinates to a remote island taken by a confirmed passenger of Malaysian Flight 370 named Philip Wood reveal what is known as a small island called Diego Garcia. The co-ordinates came from Philip's cellphone when he uploaded a black photo with a message claiming he himself is being held prisoner by unknown military.
External Quote:

UNREPORTED FACTS REGARDING Flight MH370 and the United States Military Base Diego Garcia:
...
This is so preposterous yet it's gone viral as so many are willing to believe it. I'm particularly sad about such conspiracy theories because of the effects it has on the relatives - such as told by Philip Woods partner Sarah Bajc here

I feel this CT merits a full debunk if possible. Unfortunately, I'm not experienced enough to do it alone so please, make it so?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Balance said:
External Quote:
* The pilot's flight simulator has 'remote take-over' capabilities
External Quote:
* Australian Military Radar Base: The Jindalee Operational Radar Network has the capabilities of detecting movements within a radius of 37,000km
Click to expand...

These two "claims" jumped out immediately. A home-based desktop computer Sim simply does not possess " 'remote take-over' capabilities ". This is just absurd.

The claim of the "Jindalee" network of radar having a detection radius of "37,000km"??

Earth's entire circumference is about 40,000km!!
 
I'm not claiming it's bunk for sure but I highly doubt the claim he hid an iPhone5 up his rear and retrieved it unaided. I base this on a TV program I recently watched where a doctor challenged a group of trainee doctors to demonstrate how difficult (and dangerous) it is to retrieve various objects from patients bottoms. It seemed a real struggle due to natural "suction" within the orifice in question.
 
some people knew about Diego Garcia. theres a pretty extensive wiki entry on it. (not sure why the brits would have to lease their own island)
External Quote:
The United States Navy operates Naval Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia, a large naval ship and submarine support base, military air base, communications and space-tracking facility, and an anchorage for pre-positioned military supplies for regional operations aboard Military Sealift Command ships in the lagoon.[4]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia
 
Balance said:
I base this on a TV program I recently watched where a doctor challenged a group of trainee doctors to demonstrate how difficult (and dangerous) it is to retrieve various objects from patients bottoms. It seemed a real struggle due to natural "suction" within the orifice in question.
Click to expand...
Wow, television sure has made some brave strides into important new territory.
 
External Quote:
* Diego Garcia has never been mentioned to the public
Well that's complete and utter bollocks, it's been mentioned everywhere, on every major news outlet.
 
It's nonsense because it's so easy to fake GPS EXIF data. Here's the same "photo" with the EXIF moved to the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas:
1395192158752__flamingo.jpg


More_Info_20140402_231836.jpg


Since it's such a trivial thing to fake, the only sensible conclusion is that this is a hoax.
 
Mick West said:
It's nonsense because it's so easy to fake GPS EXIF data. Here's the same "photo" with the EXIF moved to the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas:
1395192158752__flamingo.jpg


More_Info_20140402_231836.jpg


Since it's such a trivial thing to fake, the only sensible conclusion is that this is a hoax.
Click to expand...
Shouldn't that read 'most sensible conclusion?'
 
Josh Heuer said:
Well, are you saying that is literally the only sensible conclusion possible in this scenario?
Click to expand...
I'm totally open to another conclusion that is sensible. But all seem ridiculous. If you've got another sensible one, this would be a great place to insert it! :)
 
NoParty said:
I'm totally open to another conclusion that is sensible. But all seem ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Ok, so you've given them 'all' a thought and deemed them as not sensible (in your words: ridiculous)?
Care to go over some of them so I can decide myself on them?
I'm just curious to what other scenarios there could be.
If you've got another sensible one, this would be a great place to insert it! :)
Click to expand...
As soon as I think of one, I will.
 
Josh Heuer said:
Ok, so you've given them 'all' a thought and deemed them as not sensible (in your words: ridiculous)?
Care to go over some of them so I can decide myself on them?
I'm just curious to what other scenarios there could be.

As soon as I think of one, I will.
Click to expand...
Well, I could sit here all night and spin yarns for ya...each more fantastical than the last...probably wouldn't get us very far.

Again, if you don't think it's the only sensible one, all you need to do is produce another sensible one.








"I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to ya'!" Screen Shot 2014-04-03 at 12.26.16 AM.png Sept. '08
 
Last edited:
Josh Heuer said:
Care to go over some of them so I can decide myself on them?
Click to expand...
Someone posted on 4chan
External Quote:
I have been held hostage by unknown military personal after my flight was hijacked (blindfolded). I work for IBM and I have managed to hide my cellphone in my ass during the hijack. I have been separated from the rest of the passengers and I am in a cell. My name is Philip Wood. I think I have been drugged as well and cannot think clearly.
and included a black photo with exif data showing GPS location of Diego Garcia.

Do you think this is a sensible thing to do, given the circumstances?
 
I'm puzzling hard to think of a way to believe that thinking this is not a hoax is 'sensible'. I can't. There are two possibilities, it is legit, it is a hoax. There are no compelling details that would in any way lend credence to it being real, therefore, it's a hoax, and that is sensible. What is your point Josh? Was you serious or just teasing?
 
Balance said:
Someone posted on 4chan
External Quote:
I have been held hostage by unknown military personal after my flight was hijacked (blindfolded). I work for IBM and I have managed to hide my cellphone in my ass during the hijack. I have been separated from the rest of the passengers and I am in a cell. My name is Philip Wood. I think I have been drugged as well and cannot think clearly.
and included a black photo with exif data showing GPS location of Diego Garcia.

Do you think this is a sensible thing to do, given the circumstances?
Click to expand...
4chan is where I turn in emergencies.
 
I appreciate this video :

it refears to archive4 and seems well done to me. Also on Sarah Bajc, this one which clarify the curious way she appears in the medias -excet since the text and pic from Philip became known :


Yoichi Shimatsu and Jeff Rense spoke of them here :
http://rense.gsradio.net:8080/rense/special/rense_Shimatsu_Mystery_033114.mp3

She was managing director in TELCOM which is specialised in remote-piloting tech (at 21')

All this is too serious to be laughted at. By the way, Glenn Beck took it as rubbish and had critics on his facebook page.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Anne said:
I appreciate this video :

it refears to archive4 and seems well done to me. Also on Sarah Bajc, this one which clarify the curious way she appears in the medias -excet since the text and pic from Philip became known :


Yoichi Shimatsu and Jeff Rense spoke of them here :
http://rense.gsradio.net:8080/rense/special/rense_Shimatsu_Mystery_033114.mp3

She was managing director in TELCOM which is specialised in remote-piloting tech (at 21')

All this is too serious to be laughted at. By the way, Glenn Beck took it as rubbish and had critics on his facebook page.
Click to expand...

This simply seems to be a continuation of the hoax. There is no new information here. The EXIF data has already been shown to be easily faked.
 
Anne said:
...this one which clarify the curious way she appears in the medias...
Click to expand...

And that video is one person's horribly uninformed (and terribly "sourced") opinion. (His childish snicker when he first referred to Ms. Bajc as Philip Wood's partner, and quickly amended it to "girlfriend". That causes me to sincerely think the video narrator is lacking any credibility).

Seems next, we will see someone else use that video (or a version of it) and claim that Sarah Bajc is showing "reptilian" features in her eyes!!
 
Mick West said:
It's nonsense because it's so easy to fake GPS EXIF data. Here's the same "photo" with the EXIF moved to the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas:
1395192158752__flamingo.jpg


More_Info_20140402_231836.jpg


Since it's such a trivial thing to fake, the only sensible conclusion is that this is a hoax.
Click to expand...
So, Mick, you're saying that the U.S. government has secret teleportation technology and they've transported the prisoner from Diego Garcia to Fun City? We're through the looking glass here, people.

Really, just about anyone with a hex editor and a little time can modify exif data. Obvious hoax.
 
Mick West said:
This simply seems to be a continuation of the hoax. There is no new information here. The EXIF data has already been shown to be easily faked.
Click to expand...

I have seen that -I apologize if my English is not right, I am French-. The reason why I posted this video is because you have on it the archive4 forum's message and the reactions. The pic is from the 18th and the messages from the 19th. I guess if it was a fake it would have been used sooner. Moreover the EXIF don't seem so precise on Diego Garcia, as they should be if they were done in a wrong aim. I feel concerning the MH370's disappearance as very many persons who commented after Glenn Beck video. No one can ask me to trust a plane can disappear like than with all the tech precision we now have.
 
Mark Barrington said:
So, Mick, you're saying that the U.S. government has secret teleportation technology and they've transported the prisoner from Diego Garcia to Fun City?
Click to expand...

Not to stray OT, but this made me chuckle, because there are actually people who post in the Inter-Webs that the USA has a base occupied and staffed by Humans on Mars, and that they use some sort of teleportation to shuttle back-and-forth.

So, next (no doubt) there will soon appear an image of the MH370 B777 sitting on the martian landscape. >sigh<
 
WeedWhacker said:
And that video is one person's horribly uninformed (and terribly "sourced") opinion. (His childish snicker when he first referred to Ms. Bajc as Philip Wood's partner, and quickly amended it to "girlfriend". That causes me to sincerely think the video narrator is lacking any credibility).

Seems next, we will see someone else use that video (or a version of it) and claim that Sarah Bajc is showing "reptilian" features in her eyes!!
Click to expand...

I feel very difficult to find the right piece of work which is the exact demonstration which answers to all the questions I have. For example, on this website : http://nodisinfo.com/ some infos seem correct to me, some others not. But when I read this article without affect, just looking in a precise way, I must admit the pic seem photoshoped :
http://nodisinfo.com/phil-wood/
 
WeedWhacker said:
Not to stray OT, but this made me chuckle, because there are actually people who post in the Inter-Webs that the USA has a base occupied and staffed by Humans on Mars, and that they use some sort of teleportation to shuttle back-and-forth.

So, next (no doubt) there will soon appear an image of the MH370 B777 sitting on the martian landscape. >sigh<
Click to expand...
The black screen is also kind of a dumb aspect of the hoax. The iPhone5 has a front-facing camera and the screen would have provided some illumination if he held it close to his face. I'm guessing they did it this way because it would have required a little bit of effort to fake up a believable-looking image for Wood's face, but faking the EXIF data was only 5 minute's work. The iPhone5 also has an LED flash.
 
Anne said:
I appreciate this video :

it refears to archive4 and seems well done to me. Also on Sarah Bajc, this one which clarify the curious way she appears in the medias -excet since the text and pic from Philip became known :


Yoichi Shimatsu and Jeff Rense spoke of them here :
http://rense.gsradio.net:8080/rense/special/rense_Shimatsu_Mystery_033114.mp3

She was managing director in TELCOM which is specialised in remote-piloting tech (at 21')

All this is too serious to be laughted at. By the way, Glenn Beck took it as rubbish and had critics on his facebook page.
Click to expand...

The amateur psychoanalysis in the second video actually makes me pissed off. Who is this idiot to laugh at this woman's grief? What a jackass.
 
Mark Barrington said:
The amateur psychoanalysis in the second video actually makes me pissed off. Who is this idiot to laugh at this woman's grief? What a jackass.
Click to expand...

If you listen at 5' the video, you will hear exactly what an experienced pilot wrote on Glenn Beck's fb page :

c60b335884328042a2640a9e6fc43044.png


Of course, I saw the name "red pile revolution" ; I don't care. In my opinion, you can find a parcel of truth, or infos which make sense to you in places you don't necessarly value, but which write on a subject by which you feel concerned. Then it is possible to look if the ones you trust can fit together.

One who laughs is Glenn Beck, and I wonder why, if the pic and the message are so stupid, three persons on a TV show gave such a bad narration, laughing really as idiots :
http://www.glennbeck.com/2014/04/01...urrounding-the-disappearance-of-flight-mh370/
 
Anne said:
....you will hear exactly what an experienced pilot wrote on Glenn Beck's fb page....
Click to expand...

And, once again so sorry, but ANYTHING related to Glenn Beck will require a full examination to determine its bunk.

Keeping in mind that Mr. Beck certainly cannot control who writes and posts on his FB page...but, there is always a strong possibility of a "POE" event, in this instance (for example, someone who does not like Mr. Beck and is merely attempting to "spool him up" for personal entertainment purposes).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BartekSitek
Turkish beach UFO 2023 - a curious high res photo
2
Replies
75
Views
12K
Trailblazer
Trailblazer
Randis
Evidence showing both the thermal and the satellite footage are fake.
Replies
1
Views
3K
Mendel
Mendel
Mick West
Debunked: Diving Triangle UFO Photos from Reddit [Fake]
Replies
37
Views
22K
Sgt.Squarehead
Sgt.Squarehead
I
Debunked: "Celestial navigation is based on elevation angles from a Flat Earth"
2
Replies
44
Views
10K
Mendel
Mendel
Mick West
Blurry Shapes in a Campfire Photo
Replies
3
Views
4K
Nada Truther
Nada Truther

Latest posts

Back
Top