How to tell if that viewer photo is fake
It seems like whenever a major weather system threatens a part of the U.S., social media fills up with photos showing monster storm clouds moving across major metropolitan areas. And many of them are fake.
New artificial intelligence tools are making it more difficult to determine what’s real and what’s not. That’s a concern for local TV stations that regularly feature viewers photos and video during their news and weather coverage.
Here are some red flags to watch for when trying to determine whether user-generated photos and videos are authentic are artificial:
Inconsistent lighting: Look for shadows that fall in different directions or lighting that doesn’t match the supposed weather conditions or angle of the sun.
Overly dramatic scenes: Reconsider photos of weather phenomena that look too perfect or beautifully cinematic.
Unnatural weather combinations: Beware of rainbows shown with the sun in the same photo, lightning from fair weather cumulus clouds, or other weather conditions that don’t make meteorological sense.
Blurry or distorted text: Check street signs, billboards, or license plates for garbled or nonsensical text.
Inconsistent perspectives: Look for objects that don’t follow proper perspective or seem to float.
Anatomical issues: People with extra fingers, malformed hands, or odd body proportions probably aren’t real.
Even if all these things check out, ask for additional information if you’re still in doubt. Without directly accusing the sender, ask for details about when the photo was taken and if they have other pictures from the same timeframe. People rarely take only one photo during a significant or unusual event.
It’s also possible the photo might be real, but from a different weather event or location. Do a reverse image search to verify the authenticity.
In the end, it’s always better to use fewer photos that are verified than to risk broadcasting and publishing AI-generated content. Your credibility depends on accuracy.
By the way, the photo above is not real. It was generated using Canva Magic Media.
Tim Heller is an AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist, Talent Coach, and Weather Content Consultant. He helps local TV stations and broadcast meteorologists communicate more effectively and efficiently on-air, online, and on social media.