Back in 2023, a main character of the internet was crowned king, Drippy Pope. Decked out in a pristine white puffer jacket, Pope Francis looked like he’d walked straight off a runway.
The problem was it never happened.
The image was a pure fake. Not photoshopped, not filtered, it was one of the early examples of fully AI-generated imagery from a little known company called Midjourney. And it fooled nearly everyone. For a solid 48 hours, people debated whether the Vatican had hired a new stylist or if the Holy See had just embraced THE CULTURE.
Drippy Pope, AKA Swaggy Pope, was a funny internet blip and a turning point in the misinformation vs. disinformation saga (yeah, I’m on about that again). Because this wasn’t someone intentionally trying to deceive (disinfo), it was a made-up image that spread like wildfire simply because it looked real (misinfo). No malicious intent, just an extremely fun glitch in the matrix. And it was so much fun that we all wanted to believe it was real, a critical component of good mis- or dis-information.
Drippy Pope Francis was a vibe and a warning. In the age of AI, seeing won’t be believing. That’s proven to be true, but the next lingering issue remains. The line between parody and propaganda is growing dangerously thin.
#PR #ProTip: Verify before you amplify. Virality without verification can turn your brand into the punchline.
Importantly, there’s also a man at the centre of all this. Rest in peace #PopeFrancis, you were an exemplar of the seat.
