that the person you are talking to is safe to speak to you. Also be aware of any issues about identifying the source through any details you broadcast about him or his images. From our experience at the BBC, people who were really there will give visual answers, often describing the details in the present tense. (“I’m in the middle of X Street; I can see and hear Y.”) The more vague the answer, the more caution you should exercise about what the source is telling you. Another useful technique is to ask the person to send any additional images shot at the same time. It’s rare that someone takes only one picture in a newsworthy situation. Having more than one image helps you learn more about how the events in question unfolded. Once you’ve gathered the source’s account of how the image was taken, work to corroborate the information further. Two primary methods can be used to investigate the contents of the photo itself and triangulate that with what you were told by the source. First, check if the image has any metadata. Metadata, also referred to as “EXIF” data when it comes to digital images, refers to information embedded in an image. If the image is an original, there’s a good chance you will see information about the make and model of the camera, the timestamp of the image (be careful though - if there is one, it could still be set to the manufacturer’s factory setting or another time zone), and the dimensions of the original image, among other details. You can use software like Photoshop (look at the file information) or look for or free online tools like Fotoforensics.com5 or Findexif.com6 to generate an EXIF report. Upload the image and the EXIF reader will return out whatever information is contained on the image. Some of the information is useful to those who have a more technical understanding of digital photography. But for the average person, data such as the date the photo was originally taken or the type of camera that took the image can sometimes help expose a lying source. One note of caution here: The majority of social media image sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram strip out most of the original metadata from images when they are uploaded onto their platforms, if not all. (Flickr seems to be an exception to this.) Second, cross-reference the image with other sources. Awaken your inner investigator by examining the image closely. Quite often there will be clues that can help you verify the location and time it was taken: • License/number plates on vehicles • Weather conditions • Landmarks • Type of clothing • Signage/lettering • Is there an identifiable shop or building? 38