What is the most effective method to verify the authenticity of an image found online?

The most effective method to verify the authenticity of an image found online is to perform a reverse image search. A 'reverse image search' allows you to upload an image (or provide an image URL) to a search engine, and the engine will then find visually similar images and identify websites where the image has been previously published. This can help you determine the image's origin, how it has been used in the past, and whether it has been altered or manipulated. For example, if you find an image online that claims to show a recent news event, you can perform a reverse image search to see if the image has appeared online before, and if so, in what context. If the image has been used in previous articles about unrelated events, it is likely that the image is being used falsely or misleadingly in the current context. Reverse image searches can be performed using search engines like Google Images, TinEye, or Yandex Images. These tools can quickly reveal whether an image is being presented in a deceptive or out-of-context manner.