Nowadays, the Internet is one of the main sources of information. But with the amount of information available, it is important to learn to verify what is true and what is not. Below you will find practical tools, tips and tricks to verify information and protect yourself from misinformation.
1. Verifying Image Sources
Images can easily manipulate reality. There are various tools to help you determine the authenticity and provenance of a photo:
• Reverse image search: Using tools like Google Search by Image or TinEye, you can find out where the image was first published. This will help you discover if it has already been used in another context.
• PhotoForensics: Allows you to perform an Error Level Analysis (ELA) to help determine if an image has been modified. It can detect changes to the original image.
• Pipl.com: A platform that allows you to find the Internet footprint of a specific person on social networks and other websites, which can help identify the source or author of a photo.
• Geofeedia: A paid tool that allows you to track content on social networks based on geographic location. It processes posts on networks such as Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and Instagram that contain GPS information.
• WebMia: A tool that creates a "visibility ranking" of a person on the web and can detect fake profiles.
• Google Maps: Useful for verifying the origin of a photograph by comparing it with map data.
• Wikimapia: A crowdsourced Google Maps alternative that's great for checking locations on photos.
• Wolfram Alpha: Can be used to verify the weather at a given time and place, which can be used to verify the authenticity of a photo. Wolfram Alpha works only in English and provides answers to scientific questions.
• JPEGSnoop: A program for Windows that allows you to analyze the metadata of images and detect possible modifications. It can also work with formats such as AVI, DNG, PDF or THM.
Tips to verify image accuracy:
- Determine the place and date of creation of the image and prevent the use of forgeries.
- Find out the photographer or origin of the photo.
- Try a reverse image search.
- Check the person spreading the information.
- Avoid working with fake accounts.
- Verify that the photo matches the description.
For example, during Hurricane Sandy, the photo below was shared on Twitter. It shows three soldiers who are said to be standing in front of the monument to the Unknown Soldier. However, this photo was actually taken a month before the hurricane. This fact was revealed through a reverse image search.
2. Fact-checking and verification of information
Fact checking is an important step in recognizing the truth of information. Fact-checking is the process of verifying whether claims correspond to reality. It can take place before or after content is published. In the Czech Republic, for example, the website is well-known Demagog.cz, which verifies the claims of politicians. The web is also known Hoax.cz. But it is used more for the verification of alarming, dangerous and unnecessary chain messages, the so-called hoaxes.
The importance of fact-checking
Fact-checking is gaining importance with the increasing presence of fake news, disinformation, propaganda and media manipulation. Truth verification focuses not only on analyzing claims, but also on preventing the spread of false information.
3. Misleading interpretation of data
Today, it is also important to be able to interpret data correctly, as a wrong interpretation can lead to wrong conclusions. There are several ways that data interpretation can be misleading:
• Editing graphs: Some graphs can be manipulated by changing axes or visuals to give an impression that is not consistent with the actual data.
• Psychological tricks in marketing: Large packaging with little content, low prices associated with lower weight, discounts like "Black Friday" or "last chance" signs are examples of how marketing uses psychology to influence consumers.
Tips for correct data interpretation:
- Ask yourself if the data fits the question you are looking to answer.
- Avoid bias, for example by using non-representative samples.
- Distinguish between correlation and causation, that is, between the coincidence of common phenomena and direct causation.
- Be sure to take into account changes in conditions over time that may affect the development and interpretation of the data.
4. Fraud on the Internet
The Internet is full of fraudulent practices aimed at obtaining personal information or finances from users. Typical examples are:
• Phishing emails and fraudulent phone calls (vishing): These techniques rely on inducing fear or curiosity, leading the victim to react quickly without thinking. It is important not to respond to requests for sensitive data and to verify the information directly with official sources.
• Scams when buying online: Buy only from verified e-shops, read reviews and never send sensitive data through unsecured sites.
• Beware of fraudulent e-mails and SMS messages: Signs of a scam email include poor grammar, unidentifiable links, and calls to immediate action. Never click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails.
How to avoid scammers:
- Check if the e-shop has quality reviews and if it is trustworthy.
- Do not enter sensitive information on unverified sites.
- Do not send passwords or codes that you receive via SMS to anyone else.
- Follow your bank's security recommendations and do not allow remote access to your device to strangers.
5. Ten points for safe movement on the Internet
In order to avoid fraud and misinformation, it is advisable to follow a few basic principles:
- Verify that the information is available on multiple news sites and is not just quoting one source.
- Use image verification tools.
- Do not believe news that arouses strong emotions (fear, excitement).
- Beware of too tempting offers (good earnings, cheap products, etc.).
- Check the credibility of e-shops and reviews before buying.
- Do not click on suspicious links or open suspicious attachments in emails.
- Update your antivirus software and use a firewall.
- Do not share sensitive personal information and PIN codes over the phone or the Internet.
- When in doubt, use fact-checking websites or consult an expert.
- Trust your good judgment – if something seems too good to be true, it probably isn't.
6. In conclusion
Verifying information and protecting against online fraud is an essential skill these days. Using tools such as reverse image searches or specialized fact-checking websites, we can detect manipulation and misinformation.
When shopping online and communicating on the Internet, it is important to take security measures, verify the credibility of sources and be wary of suspicious offers.
Following these policies and guidelines helps protect not only our data, but also our credibility in the online world.
