Fake footage of the Ukraine-Russia war is spreading like wildfire — here’s how to spot it
Here are 5 ways you can spot fake footage
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 tostage or poseactions 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. An example of object addition is the below photograph, which purports to show construction machinery outside a kindergarten in eastern Ukraine. The satirical text accompanying the image jokes about the “calibre of the construction machinery” – the author suggesting that reports of damage to buildings from military ordinance are exaggerated or untrue.
Close inspection reveals this image wasdigitally alteredto include the machinery. This tweet could be seen as an attempt to downplay the extent of damage resulting from a Russian-backed missile attack, and in a wider context to create confusion and doubt as to veracity of other images emerging from the conflict zone.
What’s being done about it?
European organisations such asBellingcathave begun compiling lists of dubious social media claims about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and debunking them where necessary.
Journalists and fact-checkers are also working to verify content andraise awarenessof known fakes. Large, well-resourced news outlets such as the BBC are alsocalling out misinformation.
Social media platforms have added newlabelsto identify state-run media organisations or provide morebackground informationabout sources or people in your networks who have also shared a particular story.
They have alsotweaked their algorithmsto change what content is amplified and have hired staff to spot and flag misleading content. Platforms are also doing some work behind the scenes to detect andpublicly shareinformation on state-linked information operations.
What can I do about it?
You can attempt tofact-check imagesfor yourself rather than taking them at face value. Anarticlewe wrote late last year for the Australian Associated Press explains the fact-checking process at each stage: image creation, editing and distribution.
Here are five simple steps you can take:
- Examine the metadata
ThisTelegram postclaims Polish-speaking saboteurs attacked a sewage facility in an attempt to place a tank of chlorine for a “false flag” attack.
But the video’s metadata – the details about how and when the video was created –showit was filmed days before the alleged date of the incident.
To check metadata for yourself, you can download the file and use software such as Adobe Photoshop or Bridge to examine it. Onlinemetadata viewersalso exist that allow you to check by using the image’s web link.
One hurdle to this approach is that social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter often strip the metadata from photos and videos when they are uploaded to their sites. In these cases, you can try requesting the original file or consulting fact-checking websites to see whether they have already verified or debunked the footage in question.
- Consult a fact-checking resource
Organisations such as theAustralian Associated Press,RMIT/ABC,Agence France-Presse (AFP)andBellingcatmaintain lists of fact-checks their teams have performed.
The AFP has alreadydebunkeda video claiming to show an explosion from the current conflict in Ukraine as being from the2020 port disasterin Beirut.
- Search more broadly
If old content has been recycled and repurposed, you may be able to find the same footage used elsewhere. You can useGoogle ImagesorTinEyeto “reverse image search” a picture and see where else it appears online.
But be aware that simple edits such as reversing the left-right orientation of an image can fool search engines and make them think the flipped image is new.
- Look for inconsistencies
Does the purported time of day match the direction of light you would expect at that time, for example? Dowatchesor clocks visible in the image correspond to the alleged timeline claimed?
You can also compare other data points, such as politicians’ schedules or verified sightings,Google Earthvision orGoogle Mapsimagery, to try and triangulate claims and see whether the details are consistent.
- Ask yourself some simple questions
Do you knowwhere,whenandwhythe photo or video was made? Do you knowwhomade it, and whether what you’re looking at is theoriginalversion?
Using online tools such asInVIDorForensicallycan potentially help answer some of these questions. Or you might like to refer to this list of20 questionsyou can use to “interrogate” social media footage with the right level of healthy scepticism.
Ultimately, if you’re in doubt, don’t share or repeat claims that haven’t been published by a reputable source such as an international news organisation. And consider using some of theseprincipleswhen deciding which sources to trust.
By doing this, you can help limit the influence of misinformation, and help clarify the true situation in Ukraine.
Article byT.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Media,Queensland University of Technology;Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication,Queensland University of Technology, andPaula Dootson, Senior Lecturer,Queensland University of Technology
This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
Story byThe Conversation
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