Reverse Image Sleuth: a free game about viral photos

What is Reverse Image Sleuth?

A photo goes viral with a dramatic caption. The photo is real, but is the story? Read the clue board (shadows, signs, weather, the oldest copy a reverse search finds), pin where and when it was taken, then rate the caption.

Reverse Image Sleuth is a free game about photos shared out of context. The picture is real; the caption says it's from today, here. The clue board says otherwise.

You read street signs, the weather, the shadows and the results of a reverse image search, pin where and when the photo was really taken, then rate the caption: true, out of context or false.

At a glance

Category

Social Media

Difficulty

Medium

Play time

3–5 min

Price

Free, in your browser, sign-up optional

How to play

Read the clues

Signs, weather and the oldest search result tell you where and when.

Pin it

Pick the real place and date.

Rate it

True, out of context, or false.

Three levels

Beginner, Intermediate or Expert, picked before you play: the content and the clock change, and each level keeps its own best score.

Scoring

+60 for the right place, +60 for the right date, +80 for the right verdict on the caption.

Win with at least 70% of the points.

What it trains

Verifying images

Signs, weather, oldest copy.

Media literacy

Telling real, out of context and false apart.

Strategy and tips

The oldest copy wins

If a search finds the same photo years ago, it isn't from today.

Read the signs

Language, number plates and shop names often give the country away.

Check the weather

Snow in a city that had 30 °C that day is a strong clue.

Why play Reverse Image Sleuth?

Most misleading images aren't edited: they're real photos with a new caption. Checking the place and date takes a minute.

Frequently asked questions