'Fake' Nepal quake picture shakes social media

The media hype surrounding the devastating earthquake in Nepal may be dying down; the death toll continues to rise.

Sadly, the picture did as much damage for the integrity of social media as a news source, as can be measured by the reality shock that went through discussion channels when the truth emerged.

It has been cited as one of the most shared photos on social media in the wake of the Nepal quake.

The picture shows two young children hugging each other… the little girl clinging to her brother for shelter.

As the picture went viral - Facebook and Twitter – the search for the brother and sister began.
It then emerged the photo was taken a decade ago in Vietnam.

Vietnamese photographer Na Son Nguyen, told the BBC: "I took this picture in October 2007 in Can Ty, a remote village in Ha Giang province".

"I was passing through the village but was stopped by the scene of two Hmong children playing in front of their house while their parents were away working in the field."

"The little girl, probably two years old, cried in the presence of a stranger so the boy, who was maybe three years old or so, hugged his sister to comfort her."

"It was both moving and cute, so I quickly made a shot."

In fact Na Son says the picture has been used for various disaster and emergencies, including, "two Burmese orphans" and "victims of the civil war in Syria".

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