A method for identifying altered content, the method comprising:
- determining a content type for an unverified content item;
- determining, based on the content type, verification criteria for use when determining a veracity of content items that are of the content type;
- locating a first verified content item corresponding to the unverified content item;
- identifying, within the first verified content item, a corresponding start point that matches a start point within the unverified content item;
- comparing each of a plurality of portions following the start point of the unverified content item with corresponding portions in the first verified content item;
- identifying, based on the comparing, an altered portion in the unverified content item, wherein the altered portion follows the start point of the unverified content item and does not match a corresponding portion in the first verified content item;
- in response to identifying the altered portion, determining, based on the comparing, that one or more portions of the unverified content item that follow the altered portion match corresponding portions in the first verified content item;
- determining, based on the altered portion of the unverified content item and content of the first verified content item, whether the unverified content item violates the verification criteria by:
- retrieving a first rule from a plurality of rules defined by the verification criteria;
- determining whether content of the unverified content item violates the first rule based on comparing the unverified content item to the first verified content item;
- in response to determining that the content of the unverified content item violates the first rule:
- retrieving a second rule from the plurality of rules defined by the verification criteria;
- and
- determining whether content of the unverified content item violates the second rule based on comparing the unverified content item to the first verified content item;
- in response to determining that the content of the unverified content item does not violate the first rule:
- retrieving a third rule from the plurality of rules defined by the verification criteria;
- and
- determining whether content of the unverified content item violates the third rule based on comparing the unverified content item to the first verified content item;
- and
- determining, based on the first rule and the second rule or based on the first rule and the third rule, that the unverified content item violates the verification criteria;
- in response to determining that the unverified content item violates the verification criteria, storing a verification flag in association with the unverified content item, wherein the verification flag indicates that the unverified content item violates the verification criteria;
- in response to determining that the unverified content item does not violate the verification criteria, storing the verification flag in association with the unverified content item, wherein the verification flag indicates that the unverified content item does not violate the verification criteria;
- generating for display an indication of the verification flag along with information about the unverified content item.