Is this video real? How to check a clip before you share it

Also called deepfakes, AI-generated video, synthetic media or 'cheapfakes' when real footage is edited.

Reviewed by Colin Balfe on Oct 27, 2026 · Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Every fact links to its source

If it's happening right now

Don't share it yet. Find where it first appeared, search whether major news outlets or fact-checkers have confirmed it, and check who posted it. If it's about voting, get the facts only from your state or local election office or vote.gov.

You can't reliably spot a good deepfake by looking at it. The checks that work are about where a clip came from and who has confirmed it, not about pixels. They take a few minutes, and they work for election clips, celebrity 'endorsements' and videos of people you know.

What to do, step by step

Pause before you share.If a clip makes you angry or shocked, slow down. That is exactly when fakes spread fastest.
Find where it first came from.Ask who posted it first and where. A brand-new or anonymous account is a warning sign; the account behind the Talarico deepfake was created only a month earlier.
Reverse-search a screenshot.Take a screenshot of a key frame and upload it to Google Images or TinEye to find the original and see whether it was edited.
See what trusted outlets say.Leave the post and search for the claim. If something this big were real, several news outlets or fact-checkers would be reporting it, or the campaign would have confirmed it.
Look and listen for glitches.Check whether lips match the words, and watch for odd blinking, warped edges or backgrounds, and a flat or slurred voice. Newer fakes may show none of these signs, so this is only one clue.
Check for Content Credentials.Upload an image or paste its link into contentcredentials.org/verify to see any record of the tool used, including AI. A missing credential does not prove a file is fake.
Read the fine print on ads.Check who paid for an ad (usually stated at the end) and look for an AI disclaimer. Many states require one, but most AI ads this year carried none.
Get voting details only from officials.Don't click links in unexpected texts or emails about your registration. Check with your state or county election office instead.

Warning signs

It makes you furious or thrilled: Fakes are built to trigger a fast share. Strong emotion is the cue to slow down.
A brand-new or anonymous account posted it first: The account behind a deepfake of Texas Senate candidate James Talarico had been created about a month earlier.
No major outlet is reporting it: If a candidate really said something explosive, newsrooms would be covering it within hours.
It tells you to vote differently: A clip or message changing your polling place, date or method is a red flag. Check with your election office.
It's an ad with no 'paid for by' line, or no AI disclosure: Many states require AI disclosures in political ads, but most AI ads this cycle didn't carry one.

What not to rely on

Your eyes alone: Lip-sync errors, odd blinking and warped backgrounds are worth noticing, but the best fakes don't have them, and real videos can look glitchy.
AI 'deepfake detector' apps: Results vary widely and can be wrong in both directions. Treat them as one clue, never as proof.
The number of views or shares: Bots can inflate both; Bloomberg reports bot-boosted views on the Matryoshka operation's fake celebrity videos.
A verified badge or familiar name: Accounts can be bought, hacked or impersonated. Check the account's history and when it was created.

How big this is

$137 million on 220 AI adsThe Wesleyan Media Project counted at least 220 political ads made or enhanced with AI by Oct 11, costing just under $137 million, against less than $50,000 of AI ad spending in the 2024 presidential election.NBC News via Yahoo, Oct 23

Only 27% disclosed AIOf those 220 ads, only 27% told viewers AI was used. 81% were paid for by Republican candidates or groups and 12% by pro-Democratic sponsors.NBC News via Yahoo, Oct 23

More than 4 in 10 voters say an AI ad fooled themIn a Scripps News/Talker Research poll of 1,000 registered voters (Sept 30–Oct 1), more than four in ten said they had seen something in a political ad they thought was real and later learned was AI. Another 30% weren't sure. The headline says 43%.Scripps News, Oct 14

Real cases

From the Warning Shots index of AI incidents, each dated and sourced.

Oct 2026 · Texas. Videos posted on X showed a man falsely accusing Senate candidate James Talarico; researchers judged them 'very likely' deepfakes, linked to the Russia-aligned Storm-1516 operation. PolitiFact rated the claim Pants on Fire and X suspended the account. (PolitiFact) The case file →
Oct 2026 · Fort Bend County, Texas. A county judge's campaign shared, then pulled, an AI-generated video of Black residents endorsing him. (Chron (Houston Chronicle), via Yahoo News) The case file →
Jan 2024 · New Hampshire. An AI clone of President Biden's voice in robocalls told voters to stay home from the primary. (NPR) The case file →

Where to report it

The platform where you saw it: use its report button for manipulated or misleading media
Your state or local election office: if it gives false voting information (find yours at vote.gov)
The FBI: if it's being used in a scam, such as fake donation appeals

Questions people ask

How can you tell if a video is a deepfake?

Don't rely on spotting glitches; good fakes don't have obvious ones. Check where the clip first appeared, whether major outlets or fact-checkers have confirmed it, and who posted it. A brand-new or anonymous account posting something explosive is a warning sign.

Can I check a video with a deepfake detector?

You can try, but detectors are unreliable and can be wrong in both directions. Use them as one clue at most. Where a clip came from, and who has confirmed it, matters more.

What are Content Credentials?

A labelling standard (C2PA) that some cameras, apps and AI tools use to record how an image or video was made. You can upload a file at contentcredentials.org/verify. If there's no record, that doesn't prove it's fake or real.

Are AI political ads legal?

In most states, yes, with conditions. NCSL counted 31 states regulating election deepfakes as of June 2026, most by requiring a disclosure. There's no federal law on AI in campaign ads; AI-voiced robocalls fall under federal robocall rules.

What should I do if I've already shared a fake?

Delete it, and post a short correction where you shared it. That stops it spreading further and helps the people who saw it from you.

Where do I report an election deepfake?

Report it on the platform. If it gives false voting information, tell your state or local election office.

Sources

Spot an error or out-of-date advice? Tell us; corrections are made and logged. Written with AI assistance from public sources; every fact checked and approved by Colin Balfe. This page is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. In an emergency, call 911.