How to Spot a Deepfake

A deepfake is a video, image, or audio clip created using artificial intelligence to falsely make someone appear to say or do something they never did. These digital forgeries are becoming more sophisticated—and more dangerous to ignore.

Our latest article, Who Is Ibrahim Traoré? Deepfakes, Disinformation, and What Appalachia Can Learn, was inspired by a viral video that turned out to be a deepfake.

Before you scroll past or share the next viral clip, pause and verify.
From Burkina Faso to Boone County, stories shape power—and fake ones can do real harm.

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How to Spot a Deepfake: A Quick Guide for Digital Citizens

With the rise of AI-generated content, spotting deepfakes is essential for protecting truth and trust—especially in politics, media, and community storytelling.

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1. Screenshot & Reverse Image Search

Tool: Google Reverse Image Search

• Pause the video at 0s, 10s, 20s, 30s, and 40s
• Take a screenshot at each point
• Upload each image to reverse image search

Red flags:

• No matches from credible sources
• Matches with unrelated or stock content
• Mismatched audio or captions = likely a deepfake remix

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2. Look for Physical Inconsistencies

Tool: Your Eyes + Slow Motion Playback

Watch for signs like:

• No blinking or unnatural eye movement
• Extra fingers, distorted hands, missing shadows
• Strange mouth or tongue motion
• Glitches in physics (e.g., floating jewelry, odd water flow)

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3. Try a Free Deepfake Detector

Tool Example: Hive AI Deepfake Detection Tool

✅ Easy to use
⚠️ Use with caution—may miss deepfakes or give false positives

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4. Consult a Media Forensics Lab

Gold Standard:
University at Buffalo’s Media Forensics Lab, led by Prof. Siwei Lyu

• Ideal for journalists or high-stakes verification
• Provides expert analysis and credibility

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Final Tip:

Deepfakes are evolving fast—but so are our tools.
When in doubt: Do the research.

📖 Read more at:
blackbygod.org/articles/bbg-ghana/who-is-ibrahim-traore-deepfakes-disinformation-and-what-appalachia-can-learn