Fact-Checking Tools — Video 1: Verifying Images and Videos

Summary

In this BuzzFeed News video, reporters Craig and Jane teach viewers how to combat online misinformation by using reverse image search. They demonstrate the technique to verify the authenticity of viral images and videos, such as the infamous 'shark on the freeway' hoax and a misleading Hurricane Urmia video. By guiding users to search for images on Google and analyze search results, they empower the audience to discern truth from falsehood in digital media.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The video is a tutorial by BuzzFeed News reporters on how to debunk fake content online.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Craig and Jane are the reporters who specialize in verifying the authenticity of internet content.
• 📸 They introduce reverse image search as a tool to determine the source of a photo or video found online.
• 🖱️ To perform a reverse image search, one can right-click an image and select 'Search Google for image'.
• 🔎 This search reveals other instances of the image's use, helping to verify its authenticity.
• 🦈 The example of a shark on the freeway is given as a famous hoax that has been debunked using reverse image search.
• 📚 The history of the shark hoax is detailed, showing how it has been used in various contexts over the years.
• 🌐 Checking comments on viral posts can provide initial insights, but reverse image search offers a more definitive verification.
• 🎥 The method of reverse image search can also be applied to videos by taking a screenshot and uploading it to Google Images.
• 🌪️ A case study of a video claiming to be from Hurricane Urmia is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of reverse image search on videos.
• 📊 The video received 35 million views, highlighting the importance of verifying content before it spreads widely.
• 🗣️ The video script emphasizes the value of context in determining the truth or falsity of viral content.

Q & A

Who are Craig and Jane in the video?

Craig and Jane are reporters at BuzzFeed News who debunk fake content on the internet.

What is the primary job of Craig and Jane?

Their primary job is to debunk fake stuff on the internet every day.

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to demonstrate how to use reverse image search to verify the authenticity of photos and videos found online.

How can one perform a reverse image search on Google?

To perform a reverse image search on Google, one can right-click on an image and select 'Search Google for image'.

What is the purpose of the 'Search Google for image' feature?

The purpose of the 'Search Google for image' feature is to find all instances where the image has been used on the internet, helping to determine if the image is real or fake.

What is an example of a famous hoax mentioned in the video?

An example of a famous hoax mentioned in the video is the image of a shark on the freeway, which has been around since at least 2012.

What can one learn from the comments section of a viral post?

One can learn alternative perspectives, such as the possibility that the content is from a different source or time, as seen in the comments about the video claimed to be from Hurricane Urmia.

How can the history of a hoax be traced?

The history of a hoax can be traced by scrolling down and reading the comments or search results that provide context and information about its origin and use.

What is the significance of verifying the context of viral content?

Verifying the context of viral content is significant to ensure that the information being shared is accurate and not misleading.

How can one check the authenticity of an online video?

One can check the authenticity of an online video by taking a screenshot, uploading it to Google Images, and performing a reverse image search to find other instances of the image online.

What does the video suggest about the effectiveness of reverse image search?

The video suggests that reverse image search is an effective tool for verifying the authenticity of both images and videos found online.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Debunking Internet Hoaxes with Reverse Image Search

Craig and Jane, BuzzFeed News reporters, introduce themselves and their mission to debunk false content on the internet. They explain the process of using reverse image search as a tool for verifying the authenticity of images found online. The demonstration includes using Google's 'Search Google for image' feature to uncover the history of a widely circulated shark-on-highway hoax, which dates back to 2012. They show how to assess the image's credibility by checking its usage across the internet and reading about its history as a photoshopped image used in various hurricane contexts.

Keywords

💡Debate

Debate refers to a formal discussion on a particular topic in which different arguments are put forward for and against something. In the context of the video, the term is not explicitly mentioned but is implied in the process of debunking fake content, where arguments for and against the authenticity of online content are considered.

💡Reporters

Reporters are individuals who gather information to present in news through various forms of media. In the video, Craig and Jane identify themselves as reporters at BuzzFeed News, indicating their role in investigating and verifying the authenticity of content found on the internet.

💡Debunk

To debunk means to expose the falseness of something deliberately presented as true. The main theme of the video revolves around debunking fake content on the internet, as the reporters demonstrate methods to verify the authenticity of images and videos.

💡Fake Stuff

Fake stuff refers to false or misleading information, objects, or content. The video's purpose is to educate viewers on how to identify and debunk fake stuff they encounter online, such as manipulated images or misleading videos.

💡Reverse Image Search

Reverse image search is a method used to identify the origins or other uses of an image by searching it on the internet. The video provides a tutorial on how to perform a reverse image search to find the source of a photo or to verify its authenticity, exemplified by the shark on the freeway hoax.

💡Google

Google is a search engine that offers various services including a reverse image search feature. In the script, Google is mentioned as the platform used to perform reverse image searches to check the authenticity of online images and videos.

💡Hoax

A hoax is a deceptive act or an instance of deliberate deception. The video script discusses a specific hoax, the 'shark on the freeway' image, which has been identified as a photoshopped image used in various contexts to mislead people about its origin.

💡Context

Context refers to the circumstances or setting in which something occurs, and can affect its interpretation. The video emphasizes the importance of checking the context of viral content to ensure it is genuine and not misleading, as demonstrated with the Hurricane Urmia video example.

💡Screenshot

A screenshot is a digital image captured by a device to record the visible area of another electronic device's display. In the video, a screenshot is used as a method to perform a reverse image search on a specific frame from a video, helping to verify its authenticity.

💡Verification

Verification is the act of checking the truth, accuracy, or validity of something. The video's main message is about the process of verification, teaching viewers how to use reverse image search as a tool to verify the authenticity of online content.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity refers to the quality of being genuine or real. The video aims to help viewers determine the authenticity of images and videos they encounter online, by showing them how to use reverse image search to find the original source or to identify manipulations.

Highlights

Craig and Jane are reporters at BuzzFeed News who debunk fake content on the internet.

They introduce tools and tips for the audience to verify the authenticity of online content.

The video demonstrates how to use reverse image search to determine the source of a photo or video.

Right-clicking an image and selecting 'Search Google for image' reveals its usage across the internet.

Reverse image search helps in judging the authenticity of an image found online.

The shark on the freeway hoax is used as an example, dating back to at least 2012.

The history of the shark hoax is explored, showing it was photoshopped and misused in hurricanes.

Reverse image search is recommended for verifying viral tweets or Facebook posts.

Checking comments can provide initial insights into the authenticity of a video.

A video claiming to be from Hurricane Urmia is used to illustrate the verification process.

Taking a screenshot from a video is a method for initiating a reverse image search.

Google Images' camera icon is used to upload the screenshot for the reverse image search.

The search results can confirm if a video screenshot is from a known fake or real event.

The effectiveness of reverse image search is demonstrated even with video screenshots.

The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of verifying the context and authenticity of online media.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Craig.

Hi, I’m Jane.

We’re reporters at BuzzFeed News and our job is to debunk fake stuff on the internet

every day.

So, we’re going to show you some of the tools and tips and tricks that we use so that

you can do it too.

In this video we’re going to show you how to use reverse image search to figure out

the source of a photo or a video that you see online.

We’re going to learn how to do a reverse image search and this is really handy if you

don’t know where an image came from the internet.

So, what you do is you really just right click and select “Search Google for image” and

that will bring up all other instances in which this image has been used.

So, you can essentially judge for yourself if it’s a real image or a false image.

So, in this case this is a very famous hoax – it’s a shark on the freeway and it’s

been around since at least 2012.

So, what we’re seeing is that there’s been a lot of people saying that it’s been

fake.

And you can even scroll down and read the history of this hoax, which is that it was

photo-shopped many, many years ago and used in almost every hurricane since.

So, whenever you see a viral tweet or a viral Facebook post, this is a really great quick

step to verify that what you’re seeing is in the right context and that it is true or

false.

Now that you know how to reverse search an image, you can also use that to check out

an online video.

This video claimed to be from Hurricane Urmia and it got 35 million views on Facebook.

And you can look at the comments first of all to see what people are saying – there’s

someone here claiming that it was actually from Uruguay years earlier.

But, if you want to find out for yourself, you can just take a screen shot of part of

the video and then once you have that, you can go back and look at Google images and

do your reverse image search.

So, we’ll open up Google images, we’ll see the camera icon, we’ll click on that,

we’ll choose the option to upload an image, and then we’re going to put our screenshot

into the Google image search so it can look and see if it can find other examples online

with that image.

And we do get some stories here where people say, “don’t fall for these fake videos

of Hurricane Urmia”.

So, we can see even with just taking a screenshot from a video, reverse image search works as

well.