Reverse Image Search (With JEFF CANOY)

Summary

Jeff Canoy from ABS-CBN educates viewers on the importance of verifying the authenticity of images and videos used in news. He demonstrates how to use Google's reverse image search to fact-check and differentiate between real and fake news. Canoy guides viewers through the process of identifying the source and context of images, highlighting the significance of media literacy in combating misinformation.

Takeaways

• 📸 The importance of verifying the authenticity of images and videos used in news reporting is emphasized.
• 🌐 The internet is a valuable resource for journalists, but it also contains fake images and videos.
• 🔍 Demonstrates how to use reverse image search to verify the authenticity of images, starting with Google Images.
• 🗺️ Shows that the image of white sand in Manila Bay is real, as part of a rehabilitation project.
• ✈️ Reveals that a photo supposedly from Kabul Airport is actually from a rescue operation in Tacloban, Philippines, illustrating the need for fact-checking.
• 🔎 Explains the process of using reverse image search to find the origin and context of an image.
• 💼 Highlights the use of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas website as a source for verifying the authenticity of the PHP1000 bill image.
• 🚫 Warns against the spread of fake news and the manipulation of images, stressing the need for critical thinking and fact-checking.
• 🛠️ Discusses the difference between editing an image for enhancement and altering its reality to create fake content.
• 🌐 Mentions other platforms like TinEye, Bing, and Yandex as tools for verifying information and images.
• 🏫 Concludes with a call to action for media literacy, encouraging viewers to practice reverse image search to avoid falling for misinformation.

Q & A

What is the importance of using correct and true pictures and videos in news reporting according to Jeff Canoy?

Jeff Canoy emphasizes that as a TV reporter, it is crucial to use accurate visual content because it provides credibility and authenticity to the news stories being reported.

How does the internet help reporters like Jeff Canoy in their work?

The internet serves as a resource-rich platform for reporters to find a plethora of pictures and videos, which can be used to enhance news stories.

What is a common issue with images found on the internet as mentioned by Jeff Canoy?

Jeff Canoy points out that many images on the internet are not real, meaning they may be manipulated or miscaptioned, which can lead to the spread of misinformation.

What is the significance of fact-checking images in news stories?

Fact-checking images is essential to ensure that the visual content aligns with the narrative of the news story, preventing the dissemination of fake news and maintaining the integrity of the media.

How does Jeff Canoy demonstrate the process of verifying the authenticity of an image?

Jeff Canoy illustrates the verification process by using Google's reverse image search feature to trace the origin of an image and cross-referencing it with reliable sources.

What is the role of Google reverse image search in verifying the authenticity of images?

Google reverse image search helps identify the original source of an image and provides context by showing where it was first uploaded, which aids in determining its authenticity.

What are the steps Jeff Canoy outlines for using Google reverse image search?

Jeff Canoy outlines the steps as: opening a browser, going to images.google.com, clicking the camera logo, and either dragging the image, uploading it, or pasting the image URL into the search bar.

Why is it important to be critical of photos in news stories, according to Jeff Canoy?

Jeff Canoy stresses the importance of being critical of photos in news stories because the accessibility of photo editing tools and web services can lead to the spread of manipulated or fake images, which can misinform the public.

What other platforms does Jeff Canoy mention for confirming the authenticity of images?

Jeff Canoy mentions TinEye, Bing, and Yandex as alternative platforms that can be used to verify the authenticity of images.

What is the final advice Jeff Canoy gives to the audience regarding the sharing of information?

Jeff Canoy advises the audience to ensure that any information or images they share are correct and true before posting, to avoid contributing to the spread of misinformation.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Verifying News Authenticity

Jeff Canoy, a reporter and news anchor at ABS-CBN, emphasizes the importance of using accurate images and videos in news reporting. He introduces the concept of fake images circulating on the internet and invites viewers to test their skills in identifying real versus fake pictures. Canoy uses examples such as a fake quote card, a real photo of Manila Bay with white sand, and a misleading image from a rescue operation to illustrate the challenges in verifying news authenticity. He then explains the process of using Google's reverse image search to fact-check images, starting from accessing Google Images to uploading or pasting an image URL, and analyzing the search results to determine the origin and authenticity of the photo. Canoy concludes by stressing the necessity of fact-checking and the power of reverse image search in combating fake news.

05:04

🔍 Mastering Reverse Image Search

Continuing the theme of media literacy, Jeff Canoy guides viewers through the process of using reverse image search to verify the authenticity of the PHP1000 bill featuring a Philippine eagle. He reiterates the steps for using Google Images to search by image and demonstrates how to analyze the search results to confirm the bill's legitimacy, which is found on the official website of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Canoy then contrasts this with the fake PHP500 bill featuring a tarsier, highlighting the difference between photo editing and manipulation. He warns about the increasing accessibility of photo editing tools and the consequent rise in fake news. Canoy encourages viewers to be critical of visual content in news stories and to use reverse image search on various platforms to verify information. He concludes with a call to action for viewers to practice their skills in reverse image search to avoid falling victim to misinformation, emphasizing the responsibility each person has in ensuring the accuracy of the content they share.

Keywords

💡Fact-checking

Fact-checking is the process of verifying the accuracy of information, particularly in news stories and social media posts. In the video, Jeff Canoy emphasizes the importance of fact-checking to ensure that the images and videos used in news are correct and true. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of news reporting and preventing the spread of misinformation. The script provides examples of fake news, such as the fake quote cards and the miscaptioned photo from Kabul Airport, illustrating the need for fact-checking.

💡Reverse Image Search

Reverse Image Search is a technique used to find the origin or other instances of an image on the internet. The video demonstrates how to use Google's reverse image search feature to verify the authenticity of images. This tool is highlighted as a key method for fact-checking, allowing viewers to trace images back to their original sources and determine if they have been manipulated or miscaptioned, as shown when the PHP1000 bill image is verified to be real from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas website.

💡Fake News

Fake News refers to false information or propaganda presented as news, often with the intent to mislead or deceive. The video script discusses the prevalence of fake news, particularly in the context of images and videos. It provides examples such as the fake quote cards and the miscaptioned photo from Kabul Airport, which are used to illustrate how easily misinformation can spread and the importance of being vigilant against it.

💡Misleading Caption

A misleading caption is a description or title that gives a false or incorrect impression of an image or video. In the video, Jeff Canoy points out that even real photos can be considered fake news if they are accompanied by misleading captions. This is exemplified by the photo of the US Airforce rescue operation in Tacloban, which was incorrectly captioned as an Indian Air Force operation in Afghanistan.

💡Manila Bay White Sand

The term 'Manila Bay White Sand' refers to a real environmental rehabilitation project where dolomite was dumped to create white sand beaches in Manila Bay. This example in the script serves to contrast with the fake news examples and to show that not all sensational claims on the internet are false. It demonstrates the importance of verifying claims through fact-checking.

💡Media Literacy

Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms. The video is part of the Media Literacy Project of UP Diliman, which aims to educate the public on how to critically consume and create media content. The script underscores the importance of media literacy in the digital age, where辨别 the authenticity of images and information is crucial.

💡Image Manipulation

Image Manipulation refers to the alteration or editing of a photo or video to change its content. The video explains that while editing an image does not necessarily make it fake, adding or removing elements can result in a misleading or false representation of reality. The script uses the example of the PHP500 bill with the tarsier to illustrate how image manipulation can create fake news.

💡Computer-Generated Animation

Computer-Generated Animation (CGI) is a technique used to create images, videos, or animations using computer graphics. In the script, Jeff Canoy uses the example of a viral video of a Gyro Drop ride in South Korea to explain how CGI can be used to create fake or misleading content, emphasizing the need for skepticism and fact-checking when encountering such material online.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity in the context of the video refers to the genuine nature of news content, particularly images and videos. The script discusses various methods to verify the authenticity of media, such as reverse image search, to ensure that what is being presented as news is true and not fabricated or misrepresented.

💡Misinformation

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information, often spread unintentionally. The video script discusses the role of fact-checking in combating misinformation, especially in the digital age where information can spread rapidly. The examples of fake news and misleading captions in the script highlight the consequences of misinformation and the importance of being a critical consumer of media.

Highlights

The importance of using correct and true pictures and videos in news reporting.

The internet as a source of pictures and videos, but also a place for fake content.

The existence of fake quote cards of famous personalities circulating during the pandemic.

The presence of white sand in Manila Bay as part of a rehabilitation project.

The false claim of a Kabul Airport rescue operation by the Indian Air Force.

The real photo of Tacloban rescue operation miscaptioned as Kabul Airport.

The necessity of fact-checking images to avoid the spread of fake news.

The ability to verify news stories using reverse image search.

How to use Google reverse image search to find the origin of a photo.

The process of uploading an image to Google Images for a reverse search.

The verification of the real PHP1000 bill with a Philippine eagle using reverse image search.

The discovery that the PHP500 bill with a tarsier is fake after a reverse image search.

The difference between photo editing and photo manipulation in terms of authenticity.

The role of critical thinking in evaluating the visual context of news stories.

The availability of other platforms like TinEye, Bing, and Yandex for image verification.

Practical exercises to practice using reverse image search to verify the authenticity of images.

The reminder to ensure the correctness and truthfulness of posted content to prevent misinformation.

Transcripts

Hey, how are you? I’m Jeff Canoy, a reporter and news anchor at ABS-CBN.

As a TV reporter, it’s important to us that the pictures and videos we use in our news are correct and true.

The internet is a helpful tool for us because it’s got plenty of pictures and videos.

But, did you know that there are also photos posted on the internet that aren’t actually real?

Let’s go and test your skills!

Look at the pictures carefully and tell me if they’re real or not.

First up! Do you remember this? For you, is it fake or real?

If you answered “fake”, you are correct! This is one of the many fake quote cards of famous personalities

that circulated during the first month of the pandemic.

Next, is it true that there is white sand in Manila Bay?

Yes! There already is. This is a picture of Manila Bay after dolomite was dumped

on it as part of the rehabilitation project launched in 2020.

Let’s try one more. This one’s a bit tricky!

Look at this picture carefully.

It says in the caption that it was taken at Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.

It was allegedly a rescue operation by the Indian Air Force back in 2021.

But is it real?

No, because the people in the photo are neither Afghans nor Indians.

They are Filipinos!

Actually, this was taken during the rescue operation of the US Airforce in Tacloban

after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The picture is real but the accompanying caption is wrong,

which is why it’s still fake news. Misleading, meaning it gives off a wrong

or different impression of the actual events that transpired.

Not all of the pictures we see on the Internet are real.

Which is why we need to fact-check.

Do you know that from photos alone, we can find out whether a news story is real or not?

All we need is a computer or cellphone, the Internet, Google…

plenty of patience… and Reverse Image Search.

The Google reverse image search or what we sometimes call “Google Search by Image”

is one of Google’s web services.

Usually, whenever we Google, we type the actual words in the search bar

But did you know that instead of words, you can also search using pictures?

You can see the origin or the website where photos used in news stories or social media posts were primarily uploaded.

But how is it used?

Let’s try it out and find out whether a photo is real or not,

and where it came from.

First, open your computer and go to any browser

such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

Second, type images.google.com in the search bar.

Google Images’ main page will show up

and you will have to click the camera logo.

First, we can the drag the picture we want to look for.

Here, we will be using this photo of the PHP1000 bill

with a Philippine eagle as an example.

Using the cursor, click and drag the picture toward Google Images’ window.

This can also be uploaded from your computer files.

Just select “upload image,” then “choose file,"

and select the picture of the PHP1000 bill and click “open.”

The last option is to use the URL.

Just copy the link by right clicking the Image Address

and paste it in the search bar.

After placing the photo, different search results will show up. Let’s look!

See? The exact copy of the picture turned up,

and there are also different angles of the photo.

But aside from this, the website where the photo originated from is also in the top search.

And here, we can see information about the photo.

We can see that the photo of the PHP1000 bill is posted in www.bsp.gov.ph –

the official website of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The website also contains details about the new PHP1000 bill polymer banknotes.

In short, the picture of the PHP1000 bill with the Philippine eagle is real.

It is not fake or made up.

Do you get it already? Alright, let’s try one more to really practice your skills.

If the PHP1000 bill with the Philippine eagle is real,

is the PHP500 bill with the tarsier also real?

Let’s repeat the steps.

In the main page of Google Images, let’s click on the logo of the camera

and select the picture of the alleged new PHP500 bill.

Remember, you can drag it, upload it, or simply paste the image address.

There, the results are out.

We can see that aside from the PHP500 bill,

the real PHP1000 bill and bills from other international currencies are also there.

There’s too much. It’s getting a bit confusing, right?

So let’s look at the articles included in the results.

We can see that there are already plenty of factchecks about it.

Let’s click on one and read it.

Do you see it now?

Unlike the PHP1000 bill with an eagle,

the PHP500 bill with the tarsier is fake! It is merely edited.

Oops… be careful of saying edited, okay?

There are also edited pictures that are not fake.

Look at this photo.

The background seems to be not that bright.

We can lighten it up.

If we make the background brighter, adjust the contrast,

and crop it a little … the photo is edited. It is not fake.

But if we add other elements, such as: I put myself on the beach …

It is already called fake or manipulated content.

It’s already fake, and the reality of the picture was altered. That is bad.

Most of the time, news stories contain photos to provide visual context.

However, we have to be more critical of these because as photo applications and web services become more accessible,

so does the spread of fake news.

o that we won’t become victims of misinformation,

we constantly need to question when and where the information and pictures we see come from.

Aside from this, it’s important that we have basic skills

such as using the reverse image search.

Other platforms like TinEye, Bing, and Yandex

will also help us confirm information.

Now, why don’t we practice?

I will show you some pictures and you will use the reverse image search.

Just like what we did earlier, you will answer whether the following are correct or wrong. Game?

Don’t cheat, okay?

Try this out.

Is it really true that this bridge is in Cebu?

Pause for one minute first so that you can do the steps.

Look carefully.

Correct! That is not in Cebu. That is Pont de Normandie, which is in France.

The newly-opened bridge in Cebu is the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).

How about one more?

This ride in South Korea is scary. But wait … does it really exist?

Try using the Reverse Image Search.

Correct! There is a real Gyro Drop in South Korea but the viral video is fake.

This is just “computer-generated animation.”

The real height of the ride is 70 meters and it does not swing while spinning around.

You can ride this when you go to Korea!

Isn’t it so easy to reverse image search?

Use this to avoid being tricked.

Remember, our stories are powerful.

Before we post anything, make sure it’s correct and true.

This is Jeff Canoy for the Media Literacy Project of UP Diliman. Stay safe!