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In the days that followed the US and Israel’s joint military strike on Iran on Saturday, floods of images and videos that supposedly document the war have appeared online. Some are old or depict unrelated conflicts, are made or manipulated with AI, and in some cases, are actually taken from military-themed video games like War Thunder.
With misinformation spreading like wildfire, many people have placed their trust in reputable digital investigators. Organizations like The New York Times, Indicator, and Bellingcat have extensive verification procedures to avoid publishing synthetic or misleading content. “Audiences can turn to trusted, independent news organizations that take the time and effort to authenticate visuals and clearly explain sourcing,” Charlie Stadtlander, executive director for media relations and communications at The Times, told The Verge. Media authentication methods are rarely foolproof, but standards are extremely high, and experts have years of experience with evading fake news.
This process is no easy task, especially given the lack of reliable deepfake detection tools. But learning from the experts can help us to better protect ourselves when news events are dominating digital spaces — so here are some of the tricks they use.
Step one: look very, very closely
When unverified images of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro suddenly proliferated on social media after his abduction by the US in January, The Times’ Visual Investigations team jumped into action. They scrutinized the images for visual inconsistencies “that would suggest they were not authentic” — such as one example that featured an aircraft with odd-looking windows.
The size and layout of the aircraft windows in this supposed image of Maduro’s detainment should raise some red flags. Image shared by The New York Times
This wasn’t enough to definitively prove the pictures were fake. “But even the remote chance that the images were not genuine — coupled with the fact they came from unknown sources, and details like Mr. Maduro’s clothing being different between the two images — was strong enough to disqualify them from publication,” The Times’ photography director Meaghan Looram said in the article.
We’re mostly past the days of identifying AI-generated deepfakes by counting how many fingers a person has, but there are usually still subtle indicators — for instance, check the architecture and figures in the backgrounds for unexplained oddities.
Step two: consider the source and its reputation
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