How can I tell if a photo online is fake or AI-made?
Check where a photo came from and what it claims to show. Looks alone cannot prove it is real.
You may not be able to tell by looking. AI can make a smooth, realistic photo. A real photo can also be cropped, edited or used with a false date.
Odd hands or text can be clues. Their absence does not prove a photo is real. An AI detector's score is also not a final answer.
- Find the original post or publisher if you can. Look for a name, date, place and explanation of the image.
- For a public image, check earlier uses with an image search. Google's guide below explains its image-source tools. These tools may not find every copy.
- Read the pages around a match. An older use may show that the photo is being shared with a new, false caption.
- Check the claimed event through other evidence. A photo's label or file details can be changed.
- If you cannot verify it, leave the claim open. Do not share it as a proven event.
Make a short checklist for checking a public photo said to show a flood today. Include the original source, date, place and earlier uses. Do not claim you saw or checked a photo.
Paste the message into ChatGPT, then fill in any blanks before you send it. ChatGPT opens in a new tab. Opening it does not send the message.
Do not upload private family photos to an unknown image-checking site. Practice with a public example.
Sources and more help
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