How can you spot a deepfake?

A clue is not a verdict

The FBI lists distorted features, inaccurate shadows, unnatural movement and odd voice patterns as warning signs. It also warns that generated content can be difficult to identify. A flawless-looking clip is not proof that the event or speaker is real.¹

Chapter 4 asks what feeds our thinking. My first check is provenance: where did this reach me, who released it, and can I find its full context? I would rather verify the request than gamble on a visual trick.

Check the action as well as the image

An urgent request for money, a code or a move to a new account deserves independent verification. The FBI advises using a separately identified number and confirming new contact details through a previously trusted source.¹

For a public claim, look for the original release and independent reporting of the event. Reposting the same clip does not create independent witnesses.

How do you check a deepfake image or audio clip?

Defects can prompt a check, but their absence cannot finish it. Confirm an audio request by another trusted route. Find an image's origin and context. Treat both as evidence to verify, not identity credentials.¹