But how can you tell the screenshot is genuine, and not artificially created to mislead you?
First of all, it’s important to bear in mind that fake screenshots can be made very easily.
There areeven free toolsthat will create fake social media posts for you.
If there’s no sign of it, that’s another reason to be suspicious.
Think too about what the screenshot is doing.
Does it depict something controversial, illicit, or likely to stir up emotions?
Essentially, is it possible that it’s just been made for clicks?
That’s another warning sign.
Who are the people involved?
Have they made any official comment?
Is there any background to how the screenshot was obtained?
Is the screenshot from a trustworthy source (like a verified news organization)?
This can all add to (or take away from) the credibility of an image.
Study the image for inconsistencies: Bad alignment, broken or misplaced elements, or strange formatting.
Fakes will often use the wrong stylings or an out-of-date interface.
The usual rules for spotting fake pictures apply to fake screenshots: Does everything fit?
What’s the source?
Does this actually make sense?
Sure enough, the photo isfrom a war camp gameand has nothing to do with any actual battles.
Where images are involved, it’s often worth using theTinEyereverse image search too.
Use a photo editor
Sometimes the metadata of a screenshot will reveal more about it.
