Edited and Fake Photos: Guides and Checks

Most edits leave traces in the file rather than in the picture: the software that last saved it, signs it was compressed twice, or details that no longer match each other. These guides show where to look, in plain English, using photos we took ourselves.

A check tells you where a file’s own record disagrees with the story you have been told. It is a reason to look closer, never a verdict on its own.