Pause on the specific assertion
Ask what the post wants you to believe about the image's date, place or subject. If the claim is consequential, a matching thumbnail is not enough to verify it.
Use a quick evidence check
- Open the linked source rather than only the preview.
- Search the image if the origin is unclear.
- Compare captions on credible publications.
- Leave uncertain claims unshared or clearly qualified.
An old photograph may circulate during a new event because it is visually dramatic. Finding the older source helps prevent an accidental miscaptioned repost.
Avoid adding new claims
Do not identify private people, infer motives or supply a location from vague visual clues. If you share a correction, link to the evidence and explain the specific mismatch. A careful correction should reduce uncertainty rather than replace one unsupported story with another.
Continue with responsible source checking.
Written by Facehunch with AI assistance and checked against the cited sources. Our editorial policy.