Photoshop and the first digital image authenticity crisis (1990s-2000s)
As digital photo editing became mainstream, newsrooms faced a wave of manipulated images — the 2004 CBS memos scandal and the 2005 Los Angeles Times photographer firing being notable examples. Getty and AP developed verification guidelines while skeptics debated whether any digital image could be trusted.
News outlets adopted metadata standards and stricter editing policies; some publications banned digital manipulation outright.
The industry settled on 'trust but verify' workflows — the same pattern now emerging for AI video.
The current synthetic video detection push follows the same arc: a new manipulation capability forces the media industry to build verification into its standard workflow.
