The problem
Detection scores should be treated as conditional measurements, not verdicts. Compression, cropping, translation and distribution through social platforms alter media characteristics. Detector errors can vary by dataset and version.
Analytical approach
Preserve the original, evaluate provenance and use multiple documented methods with appropriate false-positive expectations.
Falsifiable test
A credible acquisition record and consistent external evidence may matter more than a single classifier score.
Operational implications
A defensible workflow should record the exact input, collection method, version, context, counter-explanation and reason for the conclusion. Reviewers should be able to disagree with the inference without losing the underlying observation. When this topic is applied to a real investigation, safety, lawful authority and domain-qualified professional guidance take precedence over a generic article.
Next research step
Publish a small case study with a documented baseline, an adversarial or failure-mode control, outcome criteria and enough data to reproduce the result. Report inconclusive findings alongside successes. This page is a research primer, not a claim that the proposed test has already been performed.
Source and revision record
Original editorial analysis and definitions. For background reference, consult the source catalog.