Fact check: A photograph from 1920 shows a coastal area.

Verdict: misleading — Trust Score 25/100

The post presents two photographs, one from 1920 and another from 2022, depicting a coastal area. While the existence of such photographs is plausible, the post's claim that they show no significant change in sea level is misleading. Scientific data from multiple sources, including tide gauges and satellites, consistently demonstrates that global mean sea level has risen significantly since 1880, with an accelerating rate in recent decades. The use of side-by-side photographs without accounting for factors like tidal conditions or the appropriate scale is a common tactic used to misrepresent sea level changes.

misleading verification card — Trust Score 25/100
Platform
threads
Source author
manonaledgeltd — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.threads.com/@manonaledgeltd/post/DaQ66bYG6RG?xmt=AQG0_qmE_m2etMygYbvvJzfVf-1Ai2so38mmWMFPadWXkl4Sds9RJolvqthDQqU81BBE4h3a
Verified on
July 2, 2026
Verification ID
_2aXxSIBC21hy_Qt8lbKxw

Original content reviewed

Platform: THREADS Author: @manonaledgeltd --- Caption/Description --- Climate change they said, Rising seas they said, pull the other one --- On-Screen Text (OCR) --- 1920 2022 ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: THREADS Author: @manonaledgeltd --- HOW TO VERIFY THIS (provenance-first) --- 1. SOURCE-TRACE: take the MOST DISTINCTIVE, verbatim details above — exact unusual quotes, named people/places/objects — and web-search them TOGETHER as a combination, alongside the subject/person shown and the topic, to find the ORIGINAL source of this clip (an official channel, the uploader, a news report). A combination of distinctive phrases has essentially ONE source on the web. 2. JUDGE FROM PROVENANCE: If a credible source (official account, established news outlet) documents this exact clip/event, it is a REAL, documented event — verify accordingly, and use that source to confirm WHO is shown. If after searching NO credible source corroborates an extraordinary or specific claim, state it CANNOT BE VERIFIED (and for a sensational claim lean toward not-credible). Do NOT default to "verified" on tangential, generic facts. --- Caption/Description --- Climate change they said, Rising seas they said, pull the other one --- Visible Text/Media --- Two side-by-side images, one labeled '1920' and the other '2022', showing a coastal scene with buildings and the sea. --- Claims to Verify --- 1. A photograph from 1920 shows a coastal area. 2. A photograph from 2022 shows the same coastal area. 3. The two photographs, from 1920 and 2022, depict no significant change in sea level. --- Verification Focus --- sea level rise 1920 vs 2022 coastal areas historical sea level data coastal regions climate change sea level rise evidence photographic evidence sea level change

Claims analyzed (3)

  1. mostly true: A photograph from 1920 shows a coastal area.
    The post explicitly states the presence of a photograph labeled '1920' showing a coastal scene. This is a descriptive claim about the content itself.
  2. mostly true: A photograph from 2022 shows the same coastal area.
    The post explicitly states the presence of a photograph labeled '2022' showing the same coastal scene. This is a descriptive claim about the content itself.
  3. false: The two photographs, from 1920 and 2022, depict no significant change in sea level.
    Global mean sea level has risen approximately 8-9 inches (21-24 centimeters) since 1880, with an accelerating rate in recent decades. Scientific evidence from tide gauges and satellites consistently shows this increase. Comparing two photographs without accounting for factors like tidal conditions, storm surges, or the appropriate scale for observing sea level rise is misleading. Such photographic comparisons are a common tactic used in misinformation to deny climate change and sea level rise.

Sources consulted (6)

Related verifications

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