A photograph is evidence that a camera recorded a moment. By itself, it does not explain what happened before or after, where the image was taken, or why it is being shared now.
Before relying on a viral image, look for its earliest available source. Compare the full frame with cropped versions, check visible landmarks and signs, and search for earlier uses of the same image. Captions can change while the picture stays the same.
The careful conclusion is often narrower than the post that first caught your attention. Describe what the image supports, identify what it cannot establish, and keep the original context attached when sharing it.
A Photo Can Be Real and Still Mislead
