Fact check: Manipulated videos of U.S. election certification offer clues to spot other faked footage

This article is part of The Globe’s initiative to cover dis- and misinformation. E-mail us to share tips or feedback at [email protected].

Faked videos from Congress’s certification on Jan. 6 of Donald Trump’s election win appear to show Vice-President Kamala Harris crying, Mr. Trump in a throne being crowned and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson laughing hysterically.

Posted on X by supporters of Mr. Trump and seen hundreds of thousands of times, the exaggerated videos show signs of being manipulated or generated using artificial intelligence. Although the clips are generally so exaggerated that many users likely assumed they were fabricated, they still offer clues to use when viewing other online videos to determine if they are also faked.

We are not linking directly to the videos so the fake content is not further amplified, or showing the most derogatory portions.

Hands are a giveaway

Poor human anatomy, particularly hands, are a reliable indicator that an image has been …