bellingcat-image-video

name	bellingcat-image-video
description	Verify and analyze photos, videos, and images. Reverse image search, extract EXIF metadata, detect deepfakes/GAN images, perform facial recognition, and analyze video content. Use when the user shares an image, photo, screenshot, or video and needs to verify authenticity, find the source, or identify people/objects, even if they don't mention "OSINT."
compatibility	Requires internet access to fetch tool detail pages from bellingcat.gitbook.io

Bellingcat Image & Video Investigation Tools

Tools for verifying, analyzing, and extracting information from photos and videos. Covers reverse image search, metadata extraction, facial recognition, and video forensics.

Choosing Tools

• Use reverse search to investigate provenance, metadata tools for origin clues, and forensic tools to assess possible manipulation.
• Treat facial-recognition results as leads, not identification; corroborate with independent evidence and consider privacy impacts.

Tools

Reverse Image Search

Tool	Best for	Cost	Description	Guide
Google Lens	An image recognition tool that can be used to identify locations or objects in photographs.	Free	Google Lens is an image recognition tool that can be used to identify locations or objects in photographs.	Details
InVID	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Free	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Details
RootAbout	Reverse search images on the Internet Archive	Free	Reverse search images on the Internet Archive	Details
Search by Image	A browser extension to reverse search an image on multiple search engines.	Free	A browser extension to reverse search an image on multiple search engines.	Details
TinEye	A search engine that allows the user to search using images (reverse image search).	Free	TinEye is a search engine that allows the user to search using images (reverse image search).	Details

Facial Recognition

Tool	Best for	Cost	Description	Guide
Amazon Rekognition	Check how similar two faces are	Free	Check how similar two faces are
Azure AI Video Indexer	AI video tool for facial detection and other types of insights.	Paid	AI video tool for facial detection and other types of insights.	Details
Face Comparison by ToolPie	Compares two human face photos to determine similarity.	Free	Compares two human face photos to determine similarity.	Details
FaceCheck.ID	A facial recognition search engine that tries to find photos of people that look similar…	Paid	A facial recognition search engine that tries to find photos of people that look similar to a person of interest.	Details
PimEyes	An AI-powered facial recognition reverse image search tool.	Paid	An AI-powered facial recognition reverse image search tool.	Details
Search4Faces	Upload the picture of a face and find pictures of similar looking people on VKontakte,…	Free	Upload the picture of a face and find pictures of similar looking people on VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, TikTok and Club...	Details

Metadata & EXIF

Tool	Best for	Cost	Description	Guide
ExifPurge	EXIF Purge is a small portable application to remove EXIF metadata from multiple images at…	Free	EXIF Purge is a small portable application to remove EXIF metadata from multiple images at once. With the click of a ...
Forensically	A collection of web-based image forensics tools.	Free	A collection of web-based image forensics tools. Can identify fake or doctored images.	Details
FotoForensics	Image forensics tool.	Free	Image forensics tool.
InVID	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Free	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Details
Irfanview	Windows-based software to extract metadata.	Free	Windows-based software to extract metadata.
Jimpl	Online EXIF data viewer	Free	Online EXIF data viewer
metadata2go	Check metadata for both photos and videos online.	Free	Check metadata for both photos and videos online.
Reveal Image Verification Assistant	Forensic providing eight filters to detect still images alterations.	Free	Forensic providing eight filters to detect still images alterations. Web-based image tool. Also available within InVI...
xIFr	A Firefox add-on for extracting EXIF metadata by right-clicking an image.	Free	A Firefox add-on for extracting EXIF metadata by right-clicking an image.	Details

Image Misc

Tool	Best for	Cost	Description	Guide
AmIReal	Github - GAN detector detects if faces were generated by ThisPersonDoesNotExist	Free	Github - GAN detector detects if faces were generated by ThisPersonDoesNotExist
AutoStitch	Autostitch is a free tool for seamlessly combining multiple photos into a single panoramic…	Free	Autostitch is a free tool for seamlessly combining multiple photos into a single panoramic image, making it ideal for...	Details
Cleanup.Pictures	Web tool for quickly removing objects from an image.	Free	Web tool for quickly removing objects from an image.
fdupes	Github - Locating exact matches of duplicate files.	Free	Github - Locating exact matches of duplicate files.
Forensically	A collection of web-based image forensics tools.	Free	A collection of web-based image forensics tools. Can identify fake or doctored images.	Details
Hugin	A free and open-source panorama photo stitching and HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging)…	Free	Hugin is a free and open-source panorama photo stitching and HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging) merging software that h...	Details
InVID	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Free	A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images.	Details
IPVM Calculator	Tool for simulating camera views (for geolocations).	Free	Tool for simulating camera views (for geolocations).
PureRef	Image workspace; lets you arrange images in groups, organize them, etc.	Free	Image workspace; lets you arrange images in groups, organize them, etc.

Investigation Tips

• Start with reverse image search (Google Lens, TinEye) to find the earliest known appearance of an image
• Extract EXIF metadata (Jimpl, metadata2go, xIFr) to find camera model, date, and GPS coordinates
• Use Forensically for a suite of forensic filters to detect manipulation (clone detection, error level analysis)
• For videos, use InVID to extract key frames for reverse image search and verify authenticity
• PimEyes or FaceCheck.ID for facial recognition — be aware of ethical and privacy considerations
• AmIReal detects GAN-generated faces; use before trusting facial recognition results