Evaluating Online Information

Videos can be powerful tools for spreading misinformation. Understanding how videos can be manipulated and knowing how to verify their authenticity is essential to avoid being deceived.

Common Video Manipulation Techniques

• Editing: Cutting and splicing to change context or meaning.
• Mislabeling: Using a video from one event to represent another.
• Speed Changes: Altering playback speed to distort perception.
• Cheapfakes: Simple edits, such as changing speed or using out-of-context clips, to mislead.
• Deepfakes: Using AI to create realistic but fake videos by superimposing faces and altering audio.

How to Verify Videos

• Check the Source: Ensure the video comes from a reliable source.
• Reverse Video Search: Use tools like the InVid Verification Plugin or Amnesty Youtube Dataviewer to find the video's origin.
• Analyze Context: Compare with other reliable sources to verify the context.
• Look for Inconsistencies: Check for visual or audio inconsistencies that indicate manipulation.
• Use Fact-Checking Tools: Utilize fact-checking websites and tools to verify video authenticity.

AI-generated videos, or deepfakes, use advanced techniques to create highly realistic but fake videos. As of Summer 2024, high-quality AI video generation tools are not as easily accessible as generative image tools, but advancements, such as OpenAI's Sora text-to-video tool, are significantly improving the quality of AI-generated videos. 

Here are some strategies to detect them:

• Look for visual inconsistencies: Unnatural facial movements, blinking, or lighting.
• Analyze audio: Check for mismatched audio and lip-syncing issues.
• Use detection tools: Employ software designed to identify deepfakes, such as Deepware Scanner. 
• Stay informed: Keep up with the latest AI developments to recognize potential deepfakes.