VISUAL VERIFICATION GUIDEVIDEOS

1 Are you looking at the ORIGINAL version?
NO
By searching keywords
on each social network
we found earlier
versions of the video

A reverse image searchof the video thumbnail
reveals other versions
online but we areunable to confirm whichis the original

A web search for theURL shortcode suggests
it is the first version
shared online but wehave been unable tospeak to the uploader

We can find no otherversions of the video
onlineBy running full namesearches, reverse
searching the user’s
profile photo, and/or
researching the domainownership of their blog
or website, we wereable to identify theuploader

We communicated withthe uploader via social
media to confirm thatthey captured the video

2 Do you know WHO captured the video?
NOIt came in via ananonymous email orchat app number

It was uploaded toa social network but
the username does
not appear elsewhere
online. The uploader
wants to remain
anonymous

3 Do you know WHERE the video was captured?
NOThe visual clues in thevideo are too limited for
us to confirm where it
was captured

A translation of anyaccompanying text
provides clues to where
it was shot but we havebeen unable to identify
the location

We have used visualclues such as signage,
architecture andclothing to assume abroad geographicalregion

We have crossreferenced landscapeand landmarks using
mapping tools and haveconfirmed the lat/longcoordinates

4 Do you know WHEN the video was captured?
NOThe video was sent to
us anonymously andthere is no metadataavailable

We checked thetimestamp on theearliest version
uploaded to a socialnetwork, but we have nodata to confirm when itwas captured

The social time stamp
shows it was uploaded
shortly after the event
occurred and it featuresvisual evidence that
correlates with othereyewitness reports

We questioned thesource and were able toconfirm that they wereat the location when thevideo was captured

5 Do you know WHY the video was captured?
NOWe do not know who
shot the video so wecan’t ascertain what theirmotivations might have
beenNOThe social media
account was createdvery recently and/or
social searches reveal
the uploader rarely posts
online so there is little
evidence to confirm
their movements ormotivations

Wider online searchesof the uploader’s realname reveals that they
are connected with anactivist or advocacy
organisation but there isno additional information
to know their motivationin this caseactivity leading up to
the event confirm theirreasons for capturing thevideo, i.e. holidaymaker,
journalist, works locally

YES
It was sent to us directly
and we have spoken to
the source

YES
We questioned thesource and theiranswers correlated withweather reports, thedevice used and theirown online footprint

YES
We questioned thesource and theiranswers about wherethe video was captured
correlated with othervisual identifiers fromthe area

YES
We confirmed that theweather conditions andany shadows visible
in the image correlatewith the time, date andlocation given by thesource

YES
We spoke to thesource who confirmed
the circumstances
surrounding the video

YES

Each step is presented in graded traffic light colours to acknowledge that it is rarely possible to be 100% confident in every aspect o f an eyewitness photographGetting news right from the sourcefirstdraftnews.com