How New York Times journalists check whether a photo is real

The New York Times has pulled back the curtain on how its journalists decide whether a picture is real. In a piece from its Technology section, a Times reporter and editors talk about the challenge of sorting what is true from what is not while still reporting the news.

The problem

Pictures made by artificial intelligence, often called A.I. images, can look just like real photos. That makes it hard to tell at a glance. News teams face a tough balance. They need to verify an image, but they also need to report quickly.

Who it affects

Anyone who sees photos online is touched by this. That includes people scrolling on a phone, families sharing pictures in group chats, and business owners who might act on something they see. A fake image that looks real can spread fast before anyone checks it.

What is not known yet

The full text of the Times piece was not available for this report. The specific steps and tools its journalists use to check images are not described here, so none are listed. Only the main message is clear: news teams must check before they publish.

What to do

• Pause before you share a shocking photo.
• Check where the image came from.
• Do not assume a picture is real because it looks real.

The same rule that guides newsrooms works for everyday readers. A few moments of checking can stop a fake from traveling further.