Media Verification

Confirm that a piece of media is real, original, and shows what it claims. Standard practice for journalism and disinformation work.

The checklist

1. Provenance — is this the original or a repost? Run reverse-image-search (video: search keyframes) to find the earliest copy and its true date and caption. Recycled old media in a new context is the most common deception.
2. Metadata — run exif-metadata-analysis for capture time, GPS, and editing-software traces (often stripped by platforms — absence isn't proof).
3. Location — does the scene match the claimed place? Verify with chronolocation.
4. Time — do shadows, weather, and season fit the claimed date? Cross-check weather archives.
5. Internal consistency — signage language, currency, plates, and license details should all agree with the claimed setting.