Why it is important for PR professionals to verify facts from social media and social networks - and the tools and techniques they can use to verify the facts. Originally created for a Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) workshop in London on crisis communications and issues management.

1. Verifying user generated
content in a crisis –
Sifting fact from fiction
Stuart Bruce FCIPR
@stuartbruce

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Why verification matters
• You need to verify the user generated content that you’re
monitoring in order to make informed decisions:
• Operational
• Communications
• Your own information needs to be verifiable as reputable media
will verify it

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Explosion at Columbia Chemicals

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Columbian Chemicals explosion

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ISIS claims responsibility for attack

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None of it was true
• Two hours later Columbian Chemicals issued news release
saying it was false
• New York Times claims it was:
• “highly coordinated disinformation campaign, involving dozens
of fake accounts that posted hundreds of tweets”
• Accuses the Internet Research Agency in St Petersburg
• Read the full account at sbpr.co/1NYKpeE

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Sifting fact from rumour
In a crisis social networks are overloaded with situational
updates. Some updates are vital facts, others rumours.

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Why it might not be true
• Organised groups have the power to spread disinformation
• People lie maliciously
• People innocently pass on misinformation
• Fear breeds rumours
• Might not have the full picture
• People forget and exaggerate memories
• Don’t understand or can’t place in context
• Authority figures who should know, might not

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Good journalists know that
“If your mother says she
loves you, check it out.”

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Get the full picture

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Most important part is
Before
Crisis

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Before the crisis
• Have a plan…
• … but make sure it is current and has been robustly tested
• Have a suitable social presence and digital media platform
• Identify potential influencers, allies and detractors in advance
• Establish reputation and trust
• Prepare you ‘war room’
• Understand new search and research methods and new tools

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Verify everything
“Associated Press has always strived to find the original sources”
Fergus Bell, AP
• Always ask how do you know?
• And remember the five Ws
• Who, What, Where, When, Why

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Check the provenance
1. Confirm the source
2. Confirm the date
3. Confirm the location
It’s a process. Clues from one tool, lead you to another tool.

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Confirming the source
• Can you find them on other social networks?
• Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Swarm
• How active are they and what is their history of usage?
• Does their account biography link to anywhere else?
• Is it a real profile picture?
• Who are their followers, contacts and friends?
• Who do they interact with?
• Are they on any lists?
• On personal profiles fakers Photoshop a blue verification check mark to the
cover photo to make it appear legitimate
• TIP: Hover cursor over it to see ‘Verified Page’ pop-up
• Can you find real world contact information?
• TIP: Spokeo, WebMii, Pipl

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Confirming the date
• Use Wolfgram Alpha to cross-reference weather on a specific
date
• YouTube date stamps videos using Pacific Standard Time
• TIP: Use Amnesty International’s YouTube DataViewer to find upload
and thumbnail creation times
• EXIF metadata – dimensions of original image, make and model
of camera, timestamp (manufacturer’s settings or wrong time
zone)
• TIP: Foroforensics.com or Findexif.com

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Verifying images and videos
• Reverse image searches
• Visual clues:
• Weather conditions
• Landmarks, shops and buildings
• Signage, lettering and license plates on vehicles
• Clothing
• Shadows
• GPS data
• Historical images from Google Earth
• Ask source for additional images

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Reverse image searches
• Google Images or TinEye
• Search by uploaded image or image URL

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Wikimapia – crowdsourced map descriptions

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Echosec – location based search
• Real-time results
• Twitter, Instagram, Flickr,
Sina Weibo and more
• Used by blue light
emergency services
• Geofeedia is alternative

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And remember
• All digital media is easily duplicated, altered and distributed

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Additional resources

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Any questions?
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Company www.stuartbruce.eu
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