Start with the source page
Copy the address from the browser while viewing the page that contains the image. This is usually the better link for someone reviewing your findings because it preserves the title, caption and surrounding context. A bare image can lose all three.
Then use the browser’s image menu to copy the image address or open the image in a separate tab, where available. Do not confuse “copy image” with “copy image address”: one copies pixels, the other copies a link. Browser and mobile menu labels vary.
Check whether the URL is usable
A direct resource may end in .jpg, .png or .webp, but an extension is not required. Some image services use long URLs with transformation parameters. A `blob:` URL belongs to the current browser session and generally cannot be fetched by an external search service. A signed download link may expire or expose access information.
Do not share private cloud links merely to satisfy an image-search box. If you have permission to upload the file, a selected local copy may be the clearer option. Facehunch accepts files, not remote image URLs.
Use URLs as evidence, not decoration
- Source page. Keep it for captions, credits and the claim being checked.
- Image resource. Keep it when you need to compare the exact file.
- Access date. Record when you could view the page; content can change.
- Relevant text. Note the sentence that connects the picture to the claim.
A result pointing to a storage bucket is not necessarily fraudulent. It may be a legitimate asset host. But it does not, on its own, prove the context or record suggested by the interface that linked to it.
When the source is missing
If a page has vanished, say that you could not verify the live source. Do not treat a cached thumbnail as confirmation of every claim in the old result. Look for another accessible publication or stop with an unresolved finding.
Google documents its image-link search method. If your larger goal is finding the first publication, continue with the original-source workflow, which explains how to compare dates and credits.