Did Kamala Harris lose the election because of a fake call?

A few hours before Kamala Harris' defeat, a video was released by her detractors, which you yourself may have seen. Captured at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, it showed Harris making what appeared to be a phone call to mobilize voters. One detail in the video immediately caught the eye: his phone displayed the photo app instead of a calling app. This moment, widely shared on social networks, fueled a surprising, and somewhat absurd, controversy.

A fake call?

At DNC headquarters, Kamala Harris encouraged voters by calling them directly, a symbolic gesture to encourage electoral participation (which ultimately did not prove very useful). But when she briefly turned her phone towards her present interlocutors, the screen showed the photo application interfacemaking it appear as if no call was in progress. This scene has been interpreted by some as proof that the call was just a stagingtriggering a wave of criticism and mockery online.

A controversy amplified on social networks

The reactions were quick, and the video was quickly relayed by several public figures, notably Marjorie Taylor Greene, a figure in the Republican Party. Many Internet users and members of the opposition saw this as a false conversation intended to give the illusion of Harris' commitment to voters. Social media users sarcastically commented, calling the vice president dummy and expressing doubts about the authenticity of his actions. Some even wondered if such a setup was technically possible, i.e. using the camera while on a call.

Typically, here I am in the middle of a call, and yet the camera is activated

Well yes, the camera being triggered in the middle of a call is possible!

Other, more moderate voices spoke out in defense of Harris, citing technical reasons to explain the incident. Several tech experts have confirmed that it is possible to use the camera app on an iPhone without interrupting an ongoing call. Hands-on tests and iOS technical documentation show that iPhones allow you to switch between apps during a phone conversationwhich makes it entirely plausible that Harris could have activated the camera without interrupting the call. We did the test ourselves: it couldn't be simpler. If the last application opened is the camera, and an exchange with the ear triggers a screen change, it is the active camera application which will be visible. The indicator of a call in progress is a tiny green dot, barely visible, which one would not be able to see on such a video.

The incident's impact on Harris' public image

This sequence, although innocuous, further polarized online opinions a few hours before the end of the vote. Of course, Kamala Harris lost the election for many reasons much deeper than this simple callbut this affair shows to what extent the false information, accumulated on top of each other, probably also weighed on the campaign. In any case, let's be honest: simulating a fake call by launching the camera application would be downright twisted anyway, right?

France