1. Find the original post
A screenshot does not show the page address or later corrections. Search for the quoted text, open the full document and identify its author. An account repeating information is not necessarily its source.
2. Check place and date
An old video can be presented as recent. Compare visible details with the caption and check whether the image has appeared before. Reverse image search can help without proving authenticity on its own.
3. Seek independent confirmation
Several accounts copying the same sentence are not several pieces of evidence. Look for primary documents and sources that explain their methods. For a specialised topic, check the author’s expertise in that specific area.
4. Make uncertainty visible
If you cannot confirm something, do not present it as established. AI image detectors can be wrong. If you shared an error, correct it where your audience saw it.
Your next step
- Origin, date and context identified.
- Confirmation that does not simply copy the source.
- Facts are separated from opinions and hypotheses.
Sources & method
This guide provides an editorial synthesis and exercises. The references below offer further reading; their authors do not endorse this portal.
Editorial responsibility: Alexis R., World Web Certified. Suggest a correction.
