Using the InVID WeVerify Plugin

InVID-WeVerify is a browser extension developed through the InVID and WeVerify projects to support verification of online video and images. The project describes tools for extracting representative frames from online video, applying reverse image searches to those frames, inspecting image or video metadata, and using visual forensic filters. These functions help a verifier gather clues quickly, especially when a short clip is circulating without context. Exact features and supported platforms can change, so consult the project’s current instructions before relying on a particular workflow. A practical check begins by preserving the post URL, account, publication time and claim being made. Open the plugin and choose the tool that matches the material: keyframes for a video, reverse search for a still or selected frame, and metadata when a file contains useful fields. Keyframes reduce a moving clip to still images that can be searched against earlier posts. Reverse search may reveal an older upload or a different caption. Metadata can include creation or editing details, but many social platforms strip it during upload, and metadata itself can be altered. Treat every result as a lead. A similar frame may come from another camera angle, a repost, a staged recreation or an unrelated event. Confirm the source and date by opening the earliest available upload, comparing multiple independent frames, checking visible landmarks and seeking reliable reporting. A filter may expose compression or editing traces, but those traces can also result from routine resizing or reposting. No single visual artifact proves manipulation. Document what you checked, which tools and sources produced a clue, and what remains unknown. If the plugin cannot access a particular platform or file, switch to an approved manual workflow rather than claiming the check passed. The plugin accelerates investigative steps; it does not replace source evaluation, corroboration or human judgment.