 How to verify online videos In a world where videos flood our screens and timelines, telling fact from fiction can often be challenging. From TikTok to Twitter, online videos are everywhere, but so is the chance to stumble upon misinformation. The ease of digital manipulation and the lightning-fast speed at which videos are shared across various platforms have brought about a new challenge for digital consumers. Online videos play a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions and opinions of everything from current events to public figures. So, we as active participants in the online community must be able to reasonably weed out the misleading or falsified content that we come across by developing strong methods for verification in our day-to-day lives. In this video, we will explore some of the various steps you can take to assess the authenticity of online videos. The easiest and best place to start is to identify the original source of the video in question. Official websites, news organizations, or verified social media accounts are generally more reliable, as they tend to verify content before sharing it. If the videos from an unverified source do a bit of digging, cross-reference with trustworthy sources, especially if the content involves significant events, people, or locations. Every time the same video is shared by a different reputable source, it adds credibility. When you stumble upon a video that seems suspicious, it is crucial to examine it carefully to uncover potential signs of manipulation or misinformation. Begin by closely scrutinizing the visual aspects of the video, paying close attention to any abrupt edits, inconsistent lighting, unnatural transitions, or a noticeable decline in overall video quality. These irregularities can serve as red flags, indicating possible alterations to the original content. Beyond what you can see in the video itself, examine the information provided alongside it. Look for a detailed description that includes critical information, such as the date, time, location, and contextual information surrounding the footage. Analyze the broader context in which the video is shared. Is it part of a larger event or series of events? Do the background details align with the claims being made? Verify this information by cross-referencing it with reliable sources elsewhere on the internet. Use reverse image and video searches to determine if the same content has been uploaded or discussed in other online spaces, helping to establish the video's authenticity. Google's reverse image search lets you upload a photo or even a video screenshot and find similar ones across the web. On the video side, another useful tool is the fake news debunker by Invid and WeVerify, a Chrome extension that helps you analyze and verify videos and images on social media. Above all, refrain from sharing the videos until its authenticity has been reasonably confirmed, reducing the risk of perpetuating potentially misleading or false information. Remember that misinformation and manipulated content can be sophisticated, so no single method guarantees accuracy. A combination of critical thinking, verification tools, and consultation with reliable sources is key to assessing the authenticity of online video.