A video shows geckos being dried and ground up on a factory line to make instant noodles.
Spread on: Facebook, posted by a Fiji-based account and viewed more than 180,000 times (2026)
The real story
AAP FactCheck found a digital watermark in the clip showing it was created or edited with Google's AI tools. The footage of geckos moving along a conveyor, being dried and processed, was generated rather than filmed. It still drew a big audience in Fiji before it was checked.
The fact-checker's verdict: “False”. Our label never goes further than theirs.
Factory 'exposé' clips with no company name, no location and no source are prime AI territory; look for a watermark check or a credible news report.
The receipts
Fijians served up fake gecko noodle video ↗
AAP FactCheck · 2026-10-26
