Fake California Aquarium Collapse Video Sparks Global Misinformation Surge

A viral video showing a catastrophic aquarium collapse in California, allegedly killing 50 people, has been proven false by multiple fact-checking organizations. The footage, posted on social media on August 4, 2025, was generated using artificial intelligence and exhibits signs of AI creation such as perfect camera angles and smooth editing. No credible news outlets or emergency agencies reported any such incident, and experts noted that a genuine disaster of this scale would have dominated global headlines. The video may have been inspired by a real event in December 2022, when Berlin's AquaDom aquarium ruptured, flooding a hotel lobby and killing nearly 1,500 fish but causing no human fatalities. This is part of a broader trend of AI-generated disaster videos circulating on social media, including previous false clips of tsunamis and earthquakes. Public skepticism and fact-checking efforts have helped debunk these fabricated videos and prevent misinformation from spreading.