Authentic?

About a year ago, a video started showing up on social media that appeared to show a pickpocket feeling very guilty about getting ‘caught on camera’…

 

Well, a few days ago – another one appeared….

The original has mysteriously been removed… but here is another copy!

Authentic? Staged?

Over the past year or so, many images and videos have crossed my path with the question, “Is it authentic”. Can it be relied upon as being a true and accurate representation of what it purports to be?

It is getting easier and easier to produce videos like this. The second one was probably created on a cell phone with a free app!

The point to all of this is that it’s important now to authenticate the multimedia at the start of an investigation. Is it real? It may not have been staged and fabricated, but is it the original? If it’s not the original, what’s missing.. or what’s been added?

…and it starts with the paperwork! Who created the video, when, how, with what etc etc….

Without the start point, its very difficult to identify what it should be!

In a world where everyone has access to a video editor on their smartphone, Image and Video Authentication should be at the top of your investigation process.

Take a look over at Amped Software’s ‘Authenticate’ to get more information on this unique branch of multimedia forensics.