User-generated content — photos, videos, and eyewitness accounts shared via social media — has become essential source material for breaking news coverage. But UGC is also the primary vector for viral misinformation: fabricated images, repurposed footage from different events, and staged scenes routinely circulate during major news events. Systematic UGC verification is now a core newsroom skill.
The SIFT Framework for UGC Verification
S — Stop: Pause before sharing or publishing. Initial emotional reaction to powerful UGC is a manipulation risk. I — Investigate the source: Who posted it? What is their history? How old is their account? Are they based where they claim to be? F — Find better coverage: Has a trusted news organisation verified this UGC? Multiple independent posts from different accounts at the same event are stronger evidence than a single post. T — Trace claims to original context: Is this image from this event, or is it from a different time/place? Use reverse image search and geolocation. Tools: Google Lens, GeoGuessr geolocation, SunCalc (shadows confirm time of day), Google Earth (compare landmarks).