IT Forensics · Private Individuals

How can I get someone to check whether a video purporting to be of me has been doctored or is a deepfake?

If a video surfaces that purports to show you – in a compromising situation or making statements you never made – the question arises: is it genuine, edited or synthetically generated? Forensic analysis looks for technical inconsistencies in the file, image and audio.

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Why this question is important for private individuals

Digital attacks on reputation, identity or privacy can spread rapidly and have significant personal and financial consequences for those affected. Objective technical documentation helps to preserve ephemeral content and to distinguish speculation from verifiable digital facts.

Technical background

Deepfakes are getting better and better; automated detection programmes do not provide reliable evidence. A more robust approach is to combine several factors: the file’s origin and distribution path, container and encoding characteristics, editing traces, inconsistencies in lighting, movement and lip-syncing, as well as cross-referencing with verifiable locations.

Relevant evidence and data sources

• File containers (e.g. MP4 atoms), encoder details, metadata
• Cuts in the video and audio tracks, compression breaks
• Visual and acoustic anomalies (edges, reflections, breath sounds, spatial sound)
• Distribution channel and earliest version found
• Your own alibi data (location history, calendar, photos)

Borders

• It is not always possible to provide reliable proof of authenticity or counterfeiting.
• Heavily compressed, split videos contain hardly any technical data.

Possible results

• Concrete evidence of manipulation has been found
• Discrepancy with verifiable residence records
• No statement possible – with reasons given

Why LanCologne?

In cases of digital blackmail, defamation or identity theft, there is often considerable pressure to act quickly. Content can be deleted, profiles renamed and messages withdrawn.

Here’s how we do it

• Back up the earliest available version along with the source.
• Technical analysis of the container, encoding and editing.
• Visual and auditory checks, and comparison with verifiable evidence to the contrary.
• Report with a graded assessment.

An account is not the same as a natural person

A key forensic principle in this field is accurate attribution. Profile names, telephone numbers, IP addresses, email addresses or devices can serve as important points of reference. However, they must not be equated with a specific individual without additional reliable data.

Ephemeral online content should be preserved along with its context

If a post or profile is likely to be deleted at a later date, it is advisable to document it at an early stage. In addition to the visible content, the URL, account ID, time stamp, full context and original files – where available – are important. The process of securing this information should not delay any necessary protective or police measures in the event of an immediate threat.

Why LanCologne for digital attacks on identity and reputation?

LanCologne does not attempt to use technical evidence to identify a perpetrator as quickly as possible. We secure the available evidence, reconstruct the digital sequence of events and clearly identify which conclusions are reliable. This ensures that the report remains comprehensible to private clients whilst also being verifiable from a technical perspective by solicitors, investigating authorities, the courts or other qualified IT forensic experts.

Depending on the circumstances, various provisions of the Criminal Code may be relevant. Section 253 of the Criminal Code deals with blackmail. In the case of threats, insults or defamatory allegations, Sections 240, 241 and Sections 185 to 187 of the Criminal Code (StGB) may be relevant, subject to their respective conditions. However, the technical preservation of a post does not automatically determine which criminal offence has been committed in a particular case.

In the event of repeated digital impersonation, Section 238 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) may become relevant. Unauthorised access to data subject to special security measures may be relevant under the conditions set out in Section 202a of the German Criminal Code (StGB). Section 201a of the German Criminal Code (StGB) may be applicable to certain images or the making of such images available. In the case of manipulated digital data relevant to the evidence, Section 269 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) may need to be considered, depending on the facts of the case.

With regard to portraits, the Artistic Copyright Act contains provisions in Sections 22 and 23 governing their distribution and public display. In addition, the general right of personality, as well as civil law claims for injunctions and removal, may be relevant. Which legal basis for a claim is applicable in a specific case is a matter for legal advice.

The Protection Against Violence Act may allow for court-ordered protective measures in the event of certain forms of threats, stalking or repeated attempts to make contact. It is not for the IT forensic expert to decide whether the conditions for this have been met or which measure should be applied for.

In the case of ephemeral digital content, producing technical documentation at an early stage may be helpful for subsequent legal or regulatory proceedings. However, LanCologne does not comment on whether privately backed-up content is admissible in court in every case, nor on the evidential value the court may attribute to it.

LanCologne is limited to the technical establishment of facts. Criminal assessments, civil claims, strategies for seeking injunctions and the judicial assessment of evidence remain the preserve of solicitors, investigating authorities and the courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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• IT Forensics for Private Individuals

LanCologne – IT Forensics for Private Individuals

Do you have a digital enquiry? LanCologne can assist you with an objective, unbiased IT forensic investigation.

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