Deepfake Verification Checklist

Preserve the evidence

• Save the original URL and publication context.
• Keep the original file where law and policy allow.
• Note when and where the item was first encountered.

Check provenance

• Find the earliest credible source rather than the loudest repost.
• Look for trustworthy provenance metadata or platform disclosure.
• Compare with official channels for the person or organisation depicted.

Corroborate independently

• Use reverse image or frame search where useful.
• Look for independent reporting of the same event or claim.
• Treat automated detector scores as supporting evidence, not a final verdict.

Escalate high-stakes cases

• Pause payments, publication or disciplinary action while verification is unresolved.
• Use specialist forensic support when consequences are serious.
• Document what was checked and what remains uncertain.

Evidence behind this checklist

• Ofcom · A deep dive into deepfakes that demean, defraud and disinform · 2024-07-23 · Primary source
• Ofcom · Deepfake Defences 2 - The Attribution Toolkit · 2025-07-11 · Primary source
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Deepfake detection technology · 2026-03-26 · Primary source

How evidence is selected and checked