Social media has become much more than a place to interact with other people online. People now consider it a source of information that otherwise remains hidden.
However, people who aim to scam others, create a fake persona, or spread misinformation also greatly benefit from this perception. They use counterfeit photos as a highly effective tool to achieve their objectives.
Doctored images on social media are intended to influence public opinion, grab attention, tarnish an individual or organization’s reputation, or harass others online. You may also see such content getting used by individuals to reach financial goals by posting product images with false claims to deceive others.
You may also see fake photos on social media used for cyberbullying or serving a particular agenda.
Given this, it is the responsibility of every average Joe to stay vigilant and play their part in detecting fake images as a responsible social media user. However, the problem is many people don’t know how to identify doctored or manipulated images on social media.
This article outlines various tips to help you detect fake pictures on social media so that you can prevent the spread of misinformation.
RELATED blog post to read: Five Ways to Spot Someone With Fake Followers
Tips for Detection of Fake Photos on Social Media
As mentioned, individuals posting fake pictures on social media often facilitate large-scale deception or target a particular age group.
Detecting fake imagery and catching culprits is essential. Here are some tips to help you do so.
Keep an Eye Out for Visual Inconsistencies
It is often easy to identify doctored images if you have an eye to detect visual inconsistencies. Factors like shadows, lighting, pixelation, rough edges, disproportions, or unrealistic details can help you identify intentionally manipulated images to spread misinformation.
Hence, whenever you come across pictures that sound suspicious or unrealistic, don’t instantly start believing in them.
- Make use of your critical eye and look for discrepancies in them. Here is what you should try to find in suspicious visuals:
- Shadows that look unnatural.
- Inconsistent lighting across the suspicious picture.
- Elements that look pixelated.
- Jagged or rough edges around elements that appear manipulated.
- Distorted perspectives make objects featured in the image out of place regarding their surroundings.
- Unrealistic details that make textures and details appear too smooth.
If you find any suspicious signs in the image, you may have come across a red flag. Therefore, don’t share it further. Instead, look for further signs that may help you figure out that the picture you have seen on social media is fake.
Don’t believe in the images that may come with the visual discrepancies we have mentioned above.
Use the Reverse Image Search Technique
Worry not if you are still trying to determine the credibility of the image you have seen on social media. Various other methods are here to help. The reverse image search technique is one of the most effective ways to verify the credibility of pictures on social media.
All you need to do is save the image and use a reliable reverse image search free tool to perform a web search to determine the image’s credibility.
An advanced reverse image finder will help you fetch similar visuals from renowned platforms so you don’t miss out on valuable results. Sometimes, the image you see online is not fake, but it is posted to manipulate average netizens emotionally.
The purpose of doing so is to evoke strong emotional reactions, as it is a common practice for individuals or organizations trying to spread misinformation.
They often post an accurate picture with false context to evoke strong emotional responses. Hence, searching by image can help you determine how reputable sources, such as renowned news outlets, have posted the picture online and the information they have used to present it.
Verify the Source
Social media has become an ideal place for culprits who want to spread misinformation. Therefore, you must verify the source before believing in any image on any social media platform.
This statement is specifically true for pictures having visual discrepancies. The best way to avoid becoming part of the community that unintentionally makes doctored visuals go viral is to verify the source first.
There are multiple ways to perform source verification. First, you should thoroughly analyze the profile or handle posting a doctored image. It will help you figure out whether that particular handle has shared credible information in the past.
Also, check whether the account you are checking is verified if it comes with the name of a reputable brand.
Look for Technical Clues
Technical clues are often enough to help you identify fake photos on social media. Doctored images posted to spread misinformation usually come with date and location discrepancies.
You should compare the date or location mentioned in the caption of the suspicious image with the visual information in it.
You should also keep an eye out for issues related to the quality of suspicious pictures. If the visual appears to have too much pixelation, blurry areas, or signs of editing, you should avoid sharing it further.
Moreover, try to analyze the metadata of the underlying image and look for any unusual details that can help you figure out whether the image is doctored.
The Wrap
Fake pictures that go viral on social media can hurt someone’s reputation, lead to mass anger, or even cause unrest among a particular community based on their religion, culture, or political affiliation.
Hence, it is the responsibility of every user to keep an eye out for doctored visuals on social media.
Being a responsible user, you can use several methods to quickly identify manipulated images on social media and prevent their spread.
This article discusses all those methods to help you detect fake imagery. Hopefully, you have plenty of takeaways from it!
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