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Links and advice on how you might be able to determine the validity of images that show up in your feed. Not just about pics supposedly from Ukraine's present conflict but for any 'strange' images you might come across as you wander the internets.
Fake viral footage is spreading alongside the real horror in Ukraine. Here are 5 ways to spot it
Visuals, because of their persuasive potential and attention-grabbing nature, are an especially potent choice for those seeking to mislead. Where creating, editing or sharing inauthentic visual content isn’t satire or art, it is usually politically or economically motivated.
Disinformation campaigns aim to distract, confuse, manipulate and sow division, discord, and uncertainty in the community. This is a common strategy for highly polarised nations where socioeconomic inequalities, disenfranchisement and propaganda are prevalent.
What are the most common fakery techniques?
Using an existing photo or video and claiming it came from a different time or place is one of the most common forms of misinformation in this context. This requires no special software or technical skills – just a willingness to upload an old video of a missile attack or other arresting image, and describe it as new footage.
Another low-tech option is to stage or pose actions or events and present them as reality. This was the case with destroyed vehicles that Russia claimed were bombed by Ukraine.
Using a particular lens or vantage point can also change how the scene looks and can be used to deceive. A tight shot of people, for example, can make it hard to gauge how many were in a crowd, compared with an aerial shot.
Taking things further still, Photoshop or equivalent software can be used to add or remove people or objects from a scene, or to crop elements out from a photograph.
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Here are five simple steps you can take:
1. Examine the metadata
2. Consult a fact-checking resource
3. Search more broadly using the image provided
4. Look for inconsistencies in the image
5. Ask yourself some simple questions
Do you know where, when and why the photo or video was made? Do you know who made it