VILNIUS — We’re all guilty of using filters on social media to make ourselves look more attractive. But who among us has used someone else’s picture entirely?
The Lithuanian tourism department has been found guilty of using other countries’ photos to toot its own horn. According to The Telegraph, the bureau’s head Jurgita Kazlauskiene was forced to step down after it was revealed last week that she used images of Slovakia and Finland to promote Lithuania on social media. Ironically, the campaign included the slogan “Real is Beautiful”.
All of the fake posts have since been deleted, however, as of Monday morning, Lithuania’s “Real is Beautiful” Facebook page remains live, with more than 62,000 likes.
The faux-pas has led to countless mock photos across social media by people posting well-known landmarks around the world with the hashtag “realisbeautiful”.
Shockingly, Lithuania is not the first country to be caught ‘catfishing’. In 2016, Rhode Island was criticized for using photos of Iceland’s Harpa concert hall in a promotional video. And in 2014, Visit Greece was caught using footage of Australia’s Twelve Apostles.
The Lithuanian capital with river Vilnia. #RealIsBeautiful #alternativefacts https://t.co/pRgACsRADl pic.twitter.com/FOa2icIQOC
— Johan O (@esbjott) February 10, 2017
Great day sightseeing in Lithuania today #realisbeautiful #lithuania ??? https://t.co/2w7NX1pN5X pic.twitter.com/yErLwl5QEf
— TJ (@tpjonesuk) February 10, 2017
