Misinformation and Media Literacy: Identifying Fake/Misleading...

p>How to spot a doctored photo:
There are many quick, easy ways to reverse-search an image!

• DeepFake-o-Meter
  • An Open Platform Integrating State-of-the-Art Methods for AI-generated Image, Video, and Audio Detection. DeepFake detection methods may not lead to accurate or consistant results, and need to be understood in context. (SUNY - U. at Buffalo)
• Google Reverse Image Search
  • The easiest way to use Google Reverse Image Search is to right-click (or tap and hold) the image and select Search Google for image / Search with Google Lens. 
    • Look at the search results. 
      • Do they come from reputable sites?
      • Are there any links to fact-checking sites that may have already debunked the photo's story? 
      • Is there an AI Overview answer? If so, follow the links to verify!
  • You can also go to Google Image (https://images.google.com/) and click on the camera icon in the search box. Copy-and-paste the photo's url, or upload the image.  
• TinEye - Copy-and-paste the photo's url, or upload the image.
• ExifData.com - Copy-and-paste the photo's url, or upload the image.   
• Just for Fun: Try your hand at guessing if a face image is real or AI-generated!
  • New York Times; Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.?
  • WhichFaceIsReal.com
     

See these steps in action!

How to spot an altered video or "deepfake"

Check out this helpful article from the MIT Media Lab.

• What is a "deepfake" video?
  • "A deepfake is a video, photo, or audio recording that seems real but has been manipulated with AI. The underlying technology can replace faces, manipulate facial expressions, synthesize faces, and synthesize speech. Deepfakes can depict someone appearing to say or do something that they in fact never said or did."
• Look for:
  • Inconsistent eye blinking
  • Out-of-synch lip movement
  • Subtle visual oddities of the subject's physical appearance such as
    • lack of definition of facial features, clothing and hair
    • no (or too much) glare from glasses; mismatched earrings
    • shadows or odd skin texture where it shouldn't be
       

Try these tools to help debunk fake news video: 

• DeepFake-o-Meter
  • An Open Platform Integrating State-of-the-Art Methods for AI-generated Image, Video, and Audio Detection. DeepFake detection methods may not lead to accurate or consistant results, and need to be understood in context. (SUNY - U. at Buffalo)
• InVID 
  • This is a Chrome plug-in designed to help journalists "...save time and be more efficient in their fact-checking and debunking tasks on social networks."
  • After downloading, simply open the plug-in and copy-and-paste the video's url

As a general rule, here are some tips and tricks for spotting fake social media accounts:

Profile Details and Photos

• Examine the profile picture: Fake accounts often use professional-looking photos that seem out of place, avatars, or stolen images. Running a reverse image search can reveal if the photo is used elsewhere online.

• Check for incomplete or generic profiles: Many fake accounts lack personal bios, details, or post history. Be cautious if the profile is missing basic information or seems robotic.

• Look at the account name and username: Weird strings of letters/numbers or minor misspellings can signal inauthenticity.

Engagement and Content

• Review activity and engagement: Genuine accounts will usually have posts, comments, and interactions with real friends or followers. Fake profiles might post irrelevant content frequently, have random or generic comments, or promote links aggressively.

• Poor engagement patterns: Fake accounts often follow lots of people but have few followers, or vice versa. Watch for odd follower-to-following ratios.

• Content quality: Repeated posts, spamming, and sharing the same or polarizing topics are red flags. Bots and fake accounts often post generic or unoriginal content repeatedly.

Additional Checks

• Check for account creation date: Accounts created recently that are very active can be suspicious, as real users usually have a social media presence that spans years.

• Verify connections: Look for authentic connections, mutual friends, or shared networks. Lack of credible connections is a warning sign.

• Watch for verified badges: Authentic or well-known individuals often have verified badges. Absence of the badge is not always proof of fakeness but, with other warning signs, adds suspicion.

• Inspect URLs: Sometimes fake accounts set up strange URLs or those that don’t match the supposed name of the account holder.

• Inconsistencies: Check if the same person has similar details or photos across different platforms. Differences may indicate a fake account.

Election disinformation: how AI-powered bots work and how you can protect yourself from their influence | The Conversation

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"Watch out for scammers using fake Instagram profiles" | WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 

Click the video and you will be taken to YouTube to view it.

Since numbers and statistics are a huge part of how we experience the world, Data Literacy, also sometimes called Visual Literacy, is an important component of Media Literacy. Below are some sources for cultivating healthy data literacy habits.