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Do not treat a viral post as confirmation. Write down exactly what it claims, trace it to its earliest available source, and look for independent evidence. Check photos and videos separately for their original date, location, and context. Until those checks support the claim, label it as an allegation or leave it unresolved.
Separate the event from the claims about it
A breaking-news post can bundle several different assertions: that an event happened, that a particular country or group caused it, that it occurred in a specific place, or that there were casualties. Those claims may have different evidence behind them. Check each one rather than accepting or rejecting the whole post as a package.
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For example, a government statement can establish what that government says happened. It does not, by itself, independently prove the event, its cause, or its consequences. Attribute the statement to its source unless other evidence corroborates it.
Use this verification workflow
- Record the exact claim. Note what allegedly happened, where and when, who is said to be responsible, and what evidence the post offers. Keep separate claims separate.
- Find the earliest available source. Follow reposts back to the original statement, document, image, video, or uploader. Check the account’s identity, institutional affiliation, and track record. A news-like name, polished presentation, or platform badge does not establish authority.
- Look for independent corroboration. Compare reliable reporting, documents, and on-the-record sources. Several outlets repeating the same initial post are not several independent confirmations. The Associated Press describes its approach as confirming facts with multiple independent, reliable sources and corroborating them with documents and on-the-record sources.
- Verify images and video on their own merits. Search a representative frame or still for earlier appearances; check whether landmarks, signs, language, landscape, and weather fit the claimed place; and inspect video frames and audio for inconsistencies or edits. When possible, trace the original upload and contact the person who recorded it.
- Keep a record of what is known. Separate verified facts from attributed claims, disputed details, and unanswered questions. Update that record when stronger evidence appears instead of turning an early claim into a settled fact.
Check whether a photo or video is really from the claimed event
Search for earlier appearances
Run a reverse-image search on a clear still or representative video frame. Where possible, check more than one image-search service. An earlier match may reveal that footage is old, from another place, or originally published with a different explanation. The Associated Press, PolitiFact, and the UK House of Commons Library describe reverse-image search as one verification technique.
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No search result does not prove that an image is new or authentic. New or little-indexed material may not appear in search results, so treat a match as useful evidence and a lack of matches as inconclusive.
Match the scene to the location
Look for distinctive buildings, road layouts, signs, language, terrain, and weather. These details can support or contradict a location claim. Even a convincing match to a place does not establish when the material was recorded or who caused the event shown.
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Inspect the video and its context
Compare frames for abrupt edits or physical inconsistencies, and check whether the audio belongs to the scene. Seek the original upload rather than relying only on a compilation or repost. The Associated Press describes frame-by-frame checks and contacting the original filmer as parts of its user-generated-content verification process.
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Weigh sources by what they can actually establish
When reports or pieces of evidence conflict, compare them across these factors:
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| Question | What to look for |
|---|---|
| How close is the evidence to the original? | An original document, recording, or identifiable eyewitness account is more direct than a chain of reposts, though it still needs scrutiny. |
| Is the evidence independent? | Check whether sources reached their conclusions separately or all rely on one post or statement. |
| Does the source distinguish fact from claim? | Look for clear attribution when a government, military, witness, or other party makes an assertion. |
| Do the date, place, and context fit? | Compare the claimed timing and location with visual clues and other evidence. |
| Is uncertainty handled transparently? | Prefer reporting that identifies what remains unknown and corrects or updates details as evidence changes. |
No single factor settles every case. The point is to assess what each source can support, rather than treating confidence, authority, or repetition as proof.
Treat account badges and AI detectors as clues, not verdicts
Check who controls an account and whether it is genuinely affiliated with the institution it appears to represent. PolitiFact’s guidance on Iran-war misinformation warns that news-like names and badges alone do not establish that an account is a credible news organization or official source.
Visual oddities and AI-detection tools may prompt further checks, but neither can establish authenticity on its own. Conflict coverage can include recycled, unrelated, or AI-generated material. Provenance, context, and independent corroboration matter more than a detector result.
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Iran–U.S. conflict footage has been miscaptioned before
PolitiFact’s June 2025 explainer documented misleading imagery circulating after U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites and described how reverse search can uncover earlier publication and context. In March 2026, the Associated Press documented recycled material falsely presented as current Iran-war footage, including a compilation unrelated to the claimed attacks. These are dated examples of verification problems, not evidence about what is happening now. Check each new claim and each accompanying image or clip on its own.
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What survey figures do—and do not—say
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s Digital News Report 2025 reported that respondents said they would first look to the following sources when checking information:
| First place respondents said they would look | Share |
|---|---|
| News outlets they trust | 38% |
| Official sources | 35% |
| Fact-checkers | 25% |
| Social media | 14% |
These are responses to a survey question, not measurements of source accuracy or proof that any particular outlet or official source is correct. The report copy cited for these figures is hosted outside the Institute’s own site.
What AP Verify is, and what the announcement does not establish
The Associated Press describes AP Verify as a web-based verification dashboard with reverse-image search, frame-by-frame video analysis, social listening, geolocation, object and landmark detection, and transcription. In announcing it, AP senior vice president and chief technology officer Gianluca D’Aniello said: “AP Verify equips journalists with the essential tools they need to assess online content quickly and accurately all in one place – whether it’s identifying the source of a photo, analyzing video or vetting text.” The announcement does not establish consumer access or pricing, so do not assume the dashboard is available to the public.
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