Separate the image from the claimed publication
A screenshot is an image of text, not automatically a live article. It can be edited, generated or cropped to hide its source and date. Full Fact’s image-verification guide recommends searching exact wording when a picture appears to show a news page. Begin with the headline and a distinctive sentence rather than trusting the familiar colours around them.
Check the publisher’s own domain and context
If a matching article is found, inspect its date, author and full wording. A screenshot can alter one line while preserving a real headline, or reuse an old article in a new context. Compare the passage that matters, not just the presence of a similar page. Avoid entering credentials into a lookalike site reached from an image caption.
Do not overstate a failed search
No result can mean the screenshot is fabricated, but it can also mean a page moved, was removed or is poorly indexed. Search the publisher’s own archive and reliable references where appropriate. State that you could not locate the claimed article if that is all the evidence establishes. Failure to find it is not a licence to invent an explanation.
Share the source rather than the uncertain screenshot
If the article is genuine, use its ordinary link so readers can inspect the full context and any updates. If the image is false, explain the discrepancy with the supporting evidence. Keep private browser tabs or personal account details out of screenshots you share for help. The useful outcome is an attributable publication record, not a more convincing-looking crop of the original image.
Questions, answered
Does a familiar news logo prove the text was published there?
No. Locate and compare the original article.
Does one unsuccessful search prove fabrication?
No. Report the limit of the search and check other relevant records.