A viral video claims to show Haitian immigrants casting illegal votes for Kamala Harris in Georgia, and it continues to circulate as “news” on X (formerly Twitter), despite being thoroughly discredited and linked to Russian sources.

On Facebook, a similar video appears with a label stating it was “created by Russian influence actors.” While it’s a positive step, the real question is whether the harm has already been done. Millions of users may believe the video’s authenticity, regardless of contrary evidence.

Another deceptive video purports to show an election worker destroying ballots for Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. These examples are just a few of the numerous fabricated headlines and misleading footage that could mar the upcoming election—merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to misinformation. Are you aware of how to identify it?

Who Creates These Fake Videos?

These videos are the latest products of a surge in viral content that U.S. intelligence agencies report are fabricated and amplified by Russian trolls aiming to sow discord among Americans before and after the election. The FBI issued a warning last Friday, indicating that China and Iran are also engaged in this disinformation campaign.

The more these nations can drive a wedge between us, the more effective their efforts become. But can such viral video propaganda actually threaten the integrity of an entire election? Evidence suggests it already has.

Do you recall the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee’s finding that Russian interference helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election and deepened societal divisions? It remains relevant today.

Why Are Many of Us Believing False Information?

I used to think I could rely on my own eyes to discern the truth, but with the rise of AI-generated videos and heavily altered images, that’s no longer a viable strategy.

In our current “post-truth” media landscape, battling AI-generated fakes and differentiating facts from fiction is more challenging than ever, but there are some useful tools to help you navigate this reality.

How Can I Identify AI-Generated Videos?

AI technology improves every day, yet certain red flags can still indicate manipulated content. According to the MIT Media Lab, key signs to watch for include:

• Blinking and lip synchronization: Scrutinize these movements to ensure they align with natural patterns.
• Reflections in eyes and glasses: Do they match up correctly? Is there a reflection visible? Do they seem logical?
• Does the age of skin appear consistent with the age of the eyes and hair?

Moreover, AI-generated videos often fail in depicting hands accurately—there may be too many or too few fingers and other irregularities. Text on billboards, street signs, and shop names may appear incorrectly displayed—backward, upside down, or misspelled.

Here are some additional methods to help you detect fakes before you’re deceived:

1. Utilize AI detection tools:

There are advanced tools available to detect AI-produced texts, images, and voice manipulations. However, a reliable tool specifically for vetting fake videos is yet to be established. Some are in development, including Deepware Scanner and Free Deepfake Detector by Resemble, but I found that neither could recognize the fake videos mentioned earlier.

Hopefully, we’ll have more effective tools to catch fake videos by next year.

On a brighter note, a few applications for text and image verification perform well in identifying AI-generated content:

For example, copy any article’s text and paste it into Copyleaks AI Detector, which assesses the likelihood of it being authored by a human versus an AI. This tool continuously updates to counter new AI models, making it highly reliable. For further verification, you can input the same text into additional AI detectors like QuillBot or GPTZero.

• Image verification is also improving. Start with SightEngine as your primary tool; it detects images generated by popular AI platforms like MidJourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion. To check where else the image has appeared, use TinEye—if the image shows up on trustworthy news sites presented factually, you can feel more confident in its authenticity.

2. Dive deeper than questionable sources and personal biases:

While the internet’s rapid spread of fake news may be to blame for increasing political anxiety and conflict, it also serves as a powerful ally for finding the truth.

When you encounter a sensational headline from an unfamiliar site or a dubious claim from a social media commentator, take a moment to research it. Simply put it into Google, Bing, or your preferred search engine.

If the claim has merit, you’ll find established news organizations covering it—not just an obscure blog or site. If the story is false, it will be evident after doing a bit of digging.

If the information comes solely from social media, shared by your eccentric Uncle Ralph, without any references to reliable sources or is already proven false, it’s best to stop there.

Always avoid trusting a single source, no matter how much you wish the information to be true.

3. Think twice before sharing something that emotionally triggers you:

We’ve all been there. You stumble upon something shocking that makes you want to share it immediately, proclaiming, “See! I was right all along, and this piece of content proves it!” Unfortunately, that’s not typically how it works.

Pause before sharing. Take a breath. Verify the information. Instead of quickly Googling it and clicking on the “News” tab, consider checking out resources dedicated to distinguishing truth from falsehoods, such as:

• Politifact – This site focuses on verifying, confirming, and disproving political news stories that gain popularity.
• FactCheck.org – Provides in-depth investigations into news stories that blur the line between truth and falsehood.
• Washington Post Fact Checker – Offers detailed evaluations of contentious news stories with comprehensive research and accuracy ratings.
• Snopes – A widely respected site that debunks false information. Though it’s not exclusively political, it does cover numerous political news items.

This method is effective because, while it seems evident, it’s frequently overlooked in our eagerness to engage in online arguments like “I told you so.”

Misleading and inaccurate information often comes with sensational labels such as BREAKING! or EXCLUSIVE! designed to capture your attention and reduce your skepticism. These posts are often packed with emotional triggers and a sense of urgency. Highly provocative images and striking graphics can also encourage quick, uncritical sharing. Usually, the information buried within such posts is either significantly biased or completely false.

When examining sources, make sure to trace back to the very beginning to uncover the origin of the story. Just because a popular social media personality has shared it doesn’t guarantee its accuracy. In fact, some may be financially incentivized by foreign entities to disseminate misinformation.

Avoid becoming a mouthpiece for foreign nations like Russia aiming to disrupt American society from within. We can and should do better than that.