How BBC’s disinformation experts investigate deaths in Iran – and the simple ways you can spot fake content

Merlyn Thomas is a correspondent with BBC Verify, a team of around 60 journalists launched in May 2023. They focus on debunking false information shared through pictures, videos, and sound recordings.

Our team uses publicly available information, like news reports and social media, along with satellite photos, data analysis, and investigative methods to verify facts and expose misinformation, particularly concerning conflicts in places like Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Iran.

In June 2025, the BBC introduced Verify Live, a blog designed to keep audiences updated on the fact-checking process – showing them which claims are being investigated and how.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to know what’s true because we’re constantly bombarded with information from all sides, says Thomas. Often, misinformation spreads not because people are intentionally trying to deceive others, but because they’re reacting quickly out of concern or passion for a topic. This all creates a challenging environment where it’s hard to find reliable information.

A recent Ofcom study from November 2024 found that over a quarter of UK adults (26%) have used a fact-checking website or tool. BBC Verify is the most popular choice, with around 20% having used it at least once and 5% using it regularly.

BBC Verify strives to provide complete and transparent reporting. They clearly explain what information they have, what remains unknown, and how they arrived at their conclusions, essentially answering the key questions of who, what, when, where, and why.

We focus on two things when dealing with false information: Does it cause actual harm, and how widely has it spread? We avoid actively promoting misinformation, but if something is already very popular online, we’ll address it and provide context. Thomas, who studied French and Arabic to better communicate with people on the ground in various regions, explains this approach.

She began her career at the BBC through the Creative Access program, initially working in radio before moving to focus on the issue of climate disinformation.

Thomas points out that anyone can verify information themselves without special equipment, because open-source intelligence is readily available. For example, a reverse image search – like using Google Lens – can help you find out if a picture from a video has appeared online before.

A common example is the spread of misinformation during wildfires,” she explains. “People often share old videos claiming they show current events in a specific location. We saw this a lot with false claims about conflicts between India and Pakistan. A quick reverse image search can easily prove these videos are outdated and inaccurate.

Pinpointing a location relies on careful observation. According to Thomas, it’s about spotting visual cues – things like power lines, field boundaries, or the angle of the sun to estimate the time of day. A lot of it comes down to intuition – trusting your gut feeling. It’s always best to be skeptical; if something seems off or too perfect, it likely is.

She also suggests a few key questions to ask when you see a video online. First, consider the source: Who posted it, and why? Do they have a particular bias? Then, check the video itself: Is it recent, or could it be old? Does anything seem off or suspicious? Pay attention to details like sounds, language, and any visible text. Finally, with the rise of artificial intelligence, it’s important to ask if the video might be AI-generated or altered, and to look for unnatural movements in things like fingers, mouths, and teeth.

If you’re ever uncertain about a story, it’s best to check a reliable news outlet. BBC Verify shares its reports across TV, radio, online, and social media. They’re increasingly using short videos on platforms like social media to clarify information and address misinformation.

It’s a real problem that many people primarily get information from sources that confirm their existing beliefs, especially during elections. When people only hear viewpoints they already agree with, it creates two separate realities. This lack of cross-political discussion, combined with highly divisive news stories, can easily lead to confusion and conflict.

Verification can sometimes be very fast – some videos take only 10 minutes to check. For example, they were able to quickly confirm the synagogue attack in Manchester in October 2025 because of clear evidence and reports from local journalists on the scene, according to Thomas.

Sometimes verifying videos takes a significant amount of time. For example, if we receive a blurry video from Ukraine showing only a single power pylon in a foggy field, we’ll first search for clearer videos of the same event to help confirm what’s happening. If we can’t find any, we’ll continue analyzing the original, difficult-to-verify footage anyway.

As a follower of the BBC, I’ve learned that when it comes to news, they really pull everyone together to make sure things are accurate. Teams from all different parts of the BBC – including those who work in other languages and the World Service – collaborate, along with people on the ground and even experts who understand how AI can be used to mislead. When something big happens, they quickly gather videos from all over the internet to get a complete picture of what’s going on.

Thomas’s job sometimes involves viewing disturbing content. She’s particularly proud of a story where sources provided BBC Verify with a hidden collection of photos – hundreds of close-up images of people killed by the Iranian government. These photos were taken inside the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Centre.

As a total film buff, I was fascinated by the meticulous work BBC Verify did. They had tons of photos – some people were even photographed from multiple angles! – and after going through 392 of them, they managed to identify 326 individuals. What really struck me was their commitment to protecting their sources; they understandably couldn’t reveal how they made those identifications, which I totally respect.

It was a difficult process, involving carefully comparing photos of deceased individuals. I had to ask colleagues to verify if different images were of the same person, accounting for variations in lighting and angle. We were able to confirm deaths by finding online tributes from people mourning them, giving us names, faces, and details we wouldn’t have known otherwise. For instance, we identified eighteen women.

When there’s a disaster and reliable information is scarce – especially with conflicting reports about casualties – I find my work most rewarding. Being able to carefully verify details and provide clear, accurate information in times of confusion and misinformation is when I feel like I’m truly making a difference.

As a movie and media fan, I’m starting to get really worried about how easy it’s becoming to create fake content with AI. We’re already seeing a ton of misinformation online, and it’s only going to get worse as the technology gets better. Honestly, the thing that scares me the most is AI-generated audio – it’s so hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. I think we’re going to be dealing with a major problem in the future, figuring out how to handle all this convincingly fake audio. Thomas put it perfectly – it’s a big issue we have to address.

While many AI detection tools exist, including one we’re building, they aren’t keeping pace with the rapidly improving AI used to create images, videos, and audio. Our tool, and others like it, are currently much less effective at detecting AI-generated content.

We don’t rely on fixed times to get our news anymore, like reading a newspaper or watching the evening news. Now, we can get updates around the clock. Because there’s so much false information spreading, being able to trust the news is more important than ever.

Although the BBC is still a leading news source in the UK, a recent study from the Good Growth Foundation shows public trust in the organization has fallen sharply over the past decade – more than in any other UK institution except the government. Half of the public now have less trust in the BBC than they did ten years ago.

BBC Verify has received some criticism regarding the accuracy of its reports. When asked about these concerns, a BBC representative explained that all their reporting undergoes thorough fact-checking before it’s released. If any errors are found after publication, they are quickly investigated by senior editors.

We’ll update our results whenever needed, and clearly explain any changes we make so everyone stays informed.

Thomas explains that their team focuses on getting things right, even if it takes a bit longer. They use a two-step process: first, colleagues review each other’s work to catch any errors, and then they use artificial intelligence to perform additional checks before the final editing stage.

In September 2022, the BBC launched a campaign emphasizing the importance of trust, stating that it must be earned and cannot be assumed. As part of this effort, BBC Verify was created to fight the spread of false information by being open and transparent about its reporting.

Thomas acknowledges the job is demanding, but says her team welcomes the challenge. She expresses pride in their work and feels fortunate to tell important stories, emphasizing their commitment to delivering accurate and truthful reporting.

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2026-05-04 13:36