Question

Review this social media post.

A post by Steve Chao reads, "This photo is proof that the recent wildfires were caused by lasers from space. Was it aliens or an empty country?" Below the text is a photo of a night sky with laser beams.

How could a user best evaluate whether the claim is true?

Look to see how many people liked the social media post or shared it.
Do a reverse image search to see whether the photo is used elsewhere.
Look up the date the photo was taken to see if it matches the wildfires.
Do research on how powerful a laser would need to be to start a wildfire.

Answer 1

All except the first item are useful. “How many people liked/shared it” only shows popularity, not truth.

A practical fact-check workflow:
- Do a reverse image search (Google Images, TinEye, Yandex) to see where else the photo appears and whether it’s from a different event or date.
- Look up the photo’s date/time/location (check the original post, EXIF if available, or the earliest instances you find) to see if it matches the wildfire timing and place.
- Research the physical plausibility — how powerful a laser would need to ignite vegetation, whether such lasers exist or are deployed, and whether experts (fire scientists, laser physicists, official fire agencies) have commented.
- Also check authoritative sources: official statements from fire agencies, local news reports, and reputable fact-checkers; search for any known laser shows, military training, or other explanations for the beams in the image.
- Examine the image for signs of manipulation (reverse-search variants, error-level analysis, EXIF metadata, inconsistencies in lighting/shadows).

Following those steps will give a much stronger basis for judging the claim than trusting likes or shares.