One Direction’s Harry Styles in Nude Photo Scandal

‘X Factor‘ U.K. imports One Direction are as famous for their wholesome image as they are for their soaring harmonies. This made it even more shocking when a nude photo allegedly of member Harry Styles made its rounds on the Internet. However, there was one thing missing from the ‘One Thing‘ singer’s photo: his face.

So is it really him?

Nope! The 17-year-old Styles insists that the photo isn’t him, and the Daily Mail confirmed that the photo is a fake.

So what made the world believe — at least for a little while — that the squeaky clean Styles would send sexts? There a few reasons. For one, the bathroom in the photo looks similar to the one in the ‘X Factor’ house that Styles shared with his band mates during filming. Second, the person in the photo has the same trademark brown curly mop as Styles, though his face is completely obscured by the flash from the camera. Third, the naked mystery man wears a dog tag necklace — just like Styles usually does — so we can understand the confusion.

Perhaps what made fans even more frenzied than the actual photographic faux evidence was Styles’ own attitude toward nudity: According to a recent interview, the guy loves to be naked! “Being naked makes me feel alive – we should all do it.” And most of us do. But we, like Styles, just don’t take pictures of it!