Preparation

All you need for preparation is a PC and an Internet connection. Alternatively, this exercise can also take place on a tablet or smartphone.

The exercise sheets serve as additional support and stimulation.

Method / Process description

The topic can be worked out together with the participants. Alternatively, the topic can be developed in groups or individually.

The reverse search of images can answer various questions: 

• Who or what can be seen in the picture?
• In what context did the picture appear on the Internet?
• Are there other pictures that show the same thing?
• Has the picture possibly already been used on other websites?
• In addition, references to first publications, different formats and the original source can be found

The reverse image search can also help to detect false positives. This way it can be determined whether the image and the text match at all and whether the image was simply torn out of another context. It is also possible to search for persons in this way, using the profile picture of a person as the search picture.

Suggestions for picture searches:

• Calling up a news page and tracing the images used in individual articles. Where do the images come from? Where are the pictures still used? Are they editorial images or images from image databases?
• Search for people using profile pictures from social networks.
• Using a photo of a flower or plant to determine the plant via the image search.

Download material

• Worksheet "Reverse Image Search"

References

• Instructions for the image search with Google: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/1325808
• Instructions for the image search with Bing (EN): https://help.bing.microsoft.com/#apex/18/en-us/10021/0
• Instructions for the image search with Bing (DE): https://help.bing.microsoft.com/#apex/18/de-de/10021/0
• Alternative service: https://www.reverseimagesearch.com/
• Information about Google Lens: https://support.google.com/photos/answer/7539151