Look for additional trusted sources

Do a Google search – if reputed news agencies such as the BBC have reported the story, it is more likely to be true. Also check snopes.com, a reliable site that has debunked urban legends for two decades, helping readers evaluate the authenticity of rumours, photos and videos.

Do a reverse image search

If you doubt the authenticity of a photo, click and drag it into the Google Images search box. Should multiple copies of the image appear, check the sources and upload dates. If it is not from a credible source or dates back to a few years ago, believe it at your own risk.

Use YouTube Data Viewer

Want to check when a viral video was first uploaded? For YouTube videos, enter a video’s URL into YouTube Data Viewer. This site extracts video thumbnails, which you can cross-check using reverse image search for other copies of the video. The original video source is likely to be the earliest one uploaded.