<p>Authenticity in video is dead.  It's been dead in photography for a long time.  It's just something we're all going to have to get used to.  Professional forensic analysis might sometimes disprove a video's authenticity, but it will never be able to conclusively prove it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-28T04:33:25.860Z
Unless you happen to have actually recorded it on tape that only works in a camcorder that doesn't have an input to record to tape from an external source, such as a TV or VCR.
user3643
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-19T16:53:49.907Z
2015-03-19T16:53:49.907Z
Jason Conrad
<p>Recently, a video has been posted about a politician named Varoufakis sticking his <a href="https://youtu.be/MEUWxNifJJ8?t=40m47s" rel="nofollow">middle finger</a> to Germany.</p>

<p>Later, a German TV host admitted faking Varoufakis 'middle finger' video on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx-1LQu6mAE" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a>, showing some smart germans editing it using a software.</p>

<p>As a skeptic person, I'm not sure which one is the real one (statements of authority, videos uploaded do not really make me believe anything).</p>

<p>I only believe in evidence.</p>

<p>How can I know or basically prove (or be 99.999%) sure that a video is faked or staged using a software? What would be the methods or procedures? I would appreciate if a video professional would help me.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-19T13:23:37.723Z
Hello fellow German! :) According to the Spiegel, the video you're talking about was indeed genuine and Böhmermann claims to have faked it are a mere scam (a good one though, I'll give him that)([source](http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/tv/jan-boehmermann-zdf-sagt-varoufake-ist-satire-a-1024396.html)). To your question: if it's done really good, you can't know for sure. You could look for inregularities, e.g. misplayed shadows and things like that, but those can be faked as well ...
MoritzLost
<editing>
How can I know if a video has been manipulated/staged/faked?
Online User
# How can I know if a video has been manipulated/staged/faked?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-19)

Recently, a video has been posted about a politician named Varoufakis sticking his [middle finger](https://youtu.be/MEUWxNifJJ8?t=40m47s) to Germany.

Later, a German TV host admitted faking Varoufakis 'middle finger' video on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx-1LQu6mAE), showing some smart germans editing it using a software.

As a skeptic person, I'm not sure which one is the real one (statements of authority, videos uploaded do not really make me believe anything).

I only believe in evidence.

How can I know or basically prove (or be 99.999%) sure that a video is faked or staged using a software? What would be the methods or procedures? I would appreciate if a video professional would help me.

**Tags:** editing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hello fellow German! :) According to the Spiegel, the video you're talking about was indeed genuine and Böhmermann claims to have faked it are a mere scam (a good one though, I'll give him that)([source](http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/tv/jan-boehmermann-zdf-sagt-varoufake-ist-satire-a-1024396.html)). To your question: if it's done really good, you can't know for sure. You could look for inregularities, e.g. misplayed shadows and things like that, but those can be faked as well ...  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-19. Score: 3

Authenticity in video is dead. It's been dead in photography for a long time. It's just something we're all going to have to get used to. Professional forensic analysis might sometimes disprove a video's authenticity, but it will never be able to conclusively prove it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Unless you happen to have actually recorded it on tape that only works in a camcorder that doesn't have an input to record to tape from an external source, such as a TV or VCR.  

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