If you’ve visited a U.S. government website, you may have noticed a small American flag in the top corner (here is an example on State.gov). Some people have pointed out that this flag appears to have only nine stars, and, as expected, conspiracy theories have followed. But before you get caught up in the clickbait, let’s clear things up.
Why Does the Flag Look Like That?
The flag in question is only 16 x 11 pixels—an incredibly small size. At this resolution, trying to fit all 50 stars would make the flag look like an unrecognizable blur. To make it visually clear that this is, in fact, the U.S. flag, designers simplify it by using fewer, larger stars. It’s purely a design choice to maintain clarity at such a small size.
Here is an example of a the full US Flag with 50 stars at 16 X 11 pixels.
Here is the exact version of a the full US Flag with 9 stars at 16 X 11 pixels.
See how hard to top one is to see the stars?
This isn’t unique to government websites—graphic designers use similar techniques across various industries whenever small icons or logos need to remain recognizable.
Don’t Fall for the Clickbait
Unfortunately, some social media influencers and certain websites thrive on stirring up outrage to gain clicks, followers, and ad revenue. They take something like the 9-star flag, strip it of context, and spin it into a narrative about secret governments, new world orders, or other baseless conspiracies. Their goal? To get you to click, share, and engage—because that means more money in their pockets.
The next time you see someone making a big deal about this, remember: it’s just a design decision to make a tiny flag recognizable. No hidden agenda. No secret symbolism. Just practical graphic design.
The Bottom Line
The American flag still has 50 stars, and it’s not changing. The version on government websites is just a simplified icon, nothing more. Let’s not give conspiracy peddlers the attention (and profit) they crave. Instead, let’s focus on facts and reality.
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