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* This trope is played so egregiously in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'', it's taken ''literal''. To make Twilight Sparkle look bad, the villains took a picture of her when she was playing soccer, ''cut her out of the picture'' and glued her into another picture to make it look like she was destroying the decorations in the cafeteria. ''No one'', not even a well-seasoned teacher, bats an eye at this until Flash Sentry shows up and ''shows the obvious''. They're not using Photoshop in the future because they just went ''backwards''.
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* SouthPark had an episode centered on Japanese whaling operations, and it turns out in the episode that the Japanese were given an edited photo from the US government that implicates dolphins and whales as the culprits behind the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and they were seeking revenge.

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This is particularly {{egregious}} on the part of the show's creators because ''every'' show these days involves [[SpecialEffects digital manipulation]] of some sort, right down to digitally adding the credits over the action and "fade to black." ''This usually includes the photo or video that, within the story, is being accepted as fact''. Not surprisingly, it's starting to move into DiscreditedTrope territory as people in general become casually familiar with digital manipulation.

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This is particularly {{egregious}} JustForFun/{{egregious}} on the part of the show's creators because ''every'' show these days involves [[SpecialEffects digital manipulation]] of some sort, right down to digitally adding the credits over the action and "fade to black." ''This usually includes the photo or video that, within the story, is being accepted as fact''. Not surprisingly, it's starting to move into DiscreditedTrope territory as people in general become casually familiar with digital manipulation.



* Averted in ''StarshipOperators''. Advertisements featuring computer-generated but photorealistic models of Amaterasu's crew members are aired on the Galaxy Network, and the ending features [[spoiler:a fake newscast, with the reporter's voice fabricated.]]

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* Averted in ''StarshipOperators''.''Anime/StarshipOperators''. Advertisements featuring computer-generated but photorealistic models of Amaterasu's crew members are aired on the Galaxy Network, and the ending features [[spoiler:a fake newscast, with the reporter's voice fabricated.]]



* In the manga ''CannonGodEXaXXion'' both the invading Riofaldians and Hosuke Kano's [[LaResistance resistance]] both blatantly manipulate footage to embarrass their enemies; they both accuse the other side of altering the footage they release to the public; and they ''both'' try to pass actual footage of "embarrassing" incidents off as enemy propaganda when possible.
* In ''GundamSEEDDestiny'', when Durandal uses footage of the Battle of Berlin in his [[TheReveal reveal]] of Logos, the Archangel and Freedom Gundam's presence has been excised -- which the Archangel crew and Freedom's pilot note to themselves.
* ''{{Gundam 00}}'': The A-LAWS edit footage of a relatively peaceful military coup to make it look like the coup leaders are slaughtering their hostages. In fact it was the A-LAWS combat automatons that were doing that, and the coup soldiers were shooting at them to ''protect'' the hostages. Celestial Being notes that only the VEDA supercomputer had the ability to so quickly and seamlessly edit the footage.
* To kick off the events of ''PokemonZoroarkMasterOfIllusions'', CorruptCorporateExecutive Kodai orders Zoroark to pose as the three legendary beasts of Johto and go on a destructive rampage. He then edits the footage to show certain landmarks being destroyed. An odd move, since the unedited footage alone should have been enough to support his claims, and all the editing does is allow the heroes to discover the unharmed landmarks and figure out that he's deceiving everyone.
* Averted in episode 13 of Manga/CardcaptorSakura. Yukito sees a picture of Sakura doing something she couldn't have done without magic, and Tomoyo HandWaves it as being a fake.

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* In the manga ''CannonGodEXaXXion'' ''Manga/CannonGodExaxxion'' both the invading Riofaldians and Hosuke Kano's [[LaResistance resistance]] both blatantly manipulate footage to embarrass their enemies; they both accuse the other side of altering the footage they release to the public; and they ''both'' try to pass actual footage of "embarrassing" incidents off as enemy propaganda when possible.
* In ''GundamSEEDDestiny'', ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'', when Durandal uses footage of the Battle of Berlin in his [[TheReveal reveal]] of Logos, the Archangel and Freedom Gundam's presence has been excised -- which the Archangel crew and Freedom's pilot note to themselves.
* ''{{Gundam 00}}'': ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'': The A-LAWS edit footage of a relatively peaceful military coup to make it look like the coup leaders are slaughtering their hostages. In fact it was the A-LAWS combat automatons that were doing that, and the coup soldiers were shooting at them to ''protect'' the hostages. Celestial Being notes that only the VEDA supercomputer had the ability to so quickly and seamlessly edit the footage.
* To kick off the events of ''PokemonZoroarkMasterOfIllusions'', ''Anime/PokemonZoroarkMasterOfIllusions'', CorruptCorporateExecutive Kodai orders Zoroark to pose as the three legendary beasts of Johto and go on a destructive rampage. He then edits the footage to show certain landmarks being destroyed. An odd move, since the unedited footage alone should have been enough to support his claims, and all the editing does is allow the heroes to discover the unharmed landmarks and figure out that he's deceiving everyone.
* Averted in episode 13 of Manga/CardcaptorSakura. ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''. Yukito sees a picture of Sakura doing something she couldn't have done without magic, and Tomoyo HandWaves {{handwave}}s it as being a fake.



* The graphic novel ''BatmanDigitalJustice'' describes how video news footage can be digitally altered to "edit reality".
* The prelude to Marvel's "ComicBook/SecretWar" featured SHIELD agents interrogating Killer Shrike about a robbery they have him on tape committing. This is accepted as infallible evidence despite the fact that the Marvel universe is filled to the brim with shapeshifters, mind-altering psychics, and technological masterminds; if the Fixer can edit Godzilla into Bogart's role in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', he can frame Killer Shrike with his eyes closed.

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* The graphic novel ''BatmanDigitalJustice'' ''ComicBook/BatmanDigitalJustice'' describes how video news footage can be digitally altered to "edit reality".
* The prelude to Marvel's "ComicBook/SecretWar" featured SHIELD Comicbook/{{SHIELD}} agents interrogating Killer Shrike about a robbery they have him on tape committing. This is accepted as infallible evidence despite the fact that the Marvel universe Franchise/MarvelUniverse is filled to the brim with shapeshifters, mind-altering psychics, and technological masterminds; if the Fixer can edit Godzilla into Bogart's role in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', he can frame Killer Shrike with his eyes closed.



* In the MaiHime and HellGirl crossover "The Grinning Snake", [[OriginalCharacter Konoka]] manages to find a surveillance recording of Shizuru's attack on the First District headquarters, during which Konoka's father was killed. She shows it to the police, but they're convinced it isn't real after seeing Shizuru's Child, a combination between a squid and a multi-headed snake. Konoka is thus left with no other choice than to confront Shizuru and demand that she turn herself in, or use Ai's contract to send Shizuru to hell.

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* In the MaiHime ''Anime/MaiHiME'' and HellGirl ''Manga/HellGirl'' crossover "The Grinning Snake", [[OriginalCharacter Konoka]] manages to find a surveillance recording of Shizuru's attack on the First District headquarters, during which Konoka's father was killed. She shows it to the police, but they're convinced it isn't real after seeing Shizuru's Child, a combination between a squid and a multi-headed snake. Konoka is thus left with no other choice than to confront Shizuru and demand that she turn herself in, or use Ai's contract to send Shizuru to hell.



* In the movie ''Film/JudgeDredd'', a picture is found to be fake, with plot-significant ramifications. Interestingly, the character who discovers this goes so far as to explain how they faked it, saying it was state-of-the-art... 20 years ago.

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* In the movie ''Film/JudgeDredd'', a picture is found to be fake, with plot-significant ramifications. Interestingly, the character who discovers this goes so far as to explain how they faked it, saying it was state-of-the-art... 20 years ago.



* MrSmithGoesToWashington: Handwriting experts declare the forged documents, that show Smith bought the land where the Scout/Ranger camp was to be built, authentic. Jim Taylor either bribed the experts or hired an expert forger.
* ''Film/TheNinthGate'': The Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.
** This is expanded upon at length in the novel that the movie was loosely based on, ''Literature/TheClubDumas'': when forging an antique book, you're not just forging an image or some text. You're producing a whole physical artifact which can - and ''will'' - be extensively scrutinized by experts to make sure it's real. You need the right kind of paper from the right time period and right manufacturer to pass chemical analysis. You need the right kind of ink as well. The right kind of binding materials, wood, leather, whatever; and the right binding techniques. And that's not even getting into making sure the fake actually looks the proper age. If there's a single flaw it will be found out sooner or later. The Ceniza brothers are experts who ''can'' do it, and will out of love for the craft of book-making and the challenge (plus the money, of course), but they cite the sheer difficulty when feigning innocence.
* In ''Film/ResidentEvilApocalypse'', WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture is used in reverse. The video showing the truth of the virus outbreak is declared a forgery by the StrawmanNewsMedia.

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* MrSmithGoesToWashington: ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'': Handwriting experts declare the forged documents, that show Smith bought the land where the Scout/Ranger camp was to be built, authentic. Jim Taylor either bribed the experts or hired an expert forger.
* ''Film/TheNinthGate'': The Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.
**
margin. This is expanded upon at length in the novel that the movie was loosely based on, ''Literature/TheClubDumas'': when forging an antique book, you're not just forging an image or some text. You're producing a whole physical artifact which can - and ''will'' - be extensively scrutinized by experts to make sure it's real. You need the right kind of paper from the right time period and right manufacturer to pass chemical analysis. You need the right kind of ink as well. The right kind of binding materials, wood, leather, whatever; and the right binding techniques. And that's not even getting into making sure the fake actually looks the proper age. If there's a single flaw it will be found out sooner or later. The Ceniza brothers are experts who ''can'' do it, and will out of love for the craft of book-making and the challenge (plus the money, of course), but they cite the sheer difficulty when feigning innocence.
* In ''Film/ResidentEvilApocalypse'', WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture this is used in reverse. The video showing the truth of the virus outbreak is declared a forgery by the StrawmanNewsMedia.



* In the climax to ''{{Wanted}}'' [[spoiler:none of the agents seem to consider that Morgan Freeman, the only one with access to the Loom of Destiny and who just got accused of using it for his own ends, could have faked the papers saying all of them were supposed to die.]]
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''[[Film/{{Transformers}} Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''. Sam meets his college roommate, who happens to run a conspiracy theorist website about the giant space robots the government is covering up. Sam, who has one of said robots in his garage, hilariously tries to convince the four guys who have spent months blogging about it that it was Photoshopped.

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* In the climax to ''{{Wanted}}'' ''Film/{{Wanted}}'' [[spoiler:none of the agents seem to consider that Morgan Freeman, the only one with access to the Loom of Destiny and who just got accused of using it for his own ends, could have faked the papers saying all of them were supposed to die.]]
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] {{Inverted|Trope}} in ''[[Film/{{Transformers}} Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''.''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen''. Sam meets his college roommate, who happens to run a conspiracy theorist website about the giant space robots the government is covering up. Sam, who has one of said robots in his garage, hilariously tries to convince the four guys who have spent months blogging about it that it was Photoshopped.



* Quite possibly one of the earliest examples of this is in ''{{Wargames}}'' when [[spoiler:JOSHUA messes with the U.S. cameras so much that the only way that they can confirm that the U.S. has not been hit by nukes is by calling one of the nuked command posts and verifying that they are not dead.]]

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* Quite possibly one of the earliest examples of this is in ''{{Wargames}}'' ''Film/{{Wargames}}'' when [[spoiler:JOSHUA messes with the U.S. cameras so much that the only way that they can confirm that the U.S. has not been hit by nukes is by calling one of the nuked command posts and verifying that they are not dead.]]



* Just like in ''Film/TheRunningMan'', the hero of ''Fahrenheit451'' is shown to be chased and shot by the security forces despite still being alive and the people of the future take it for granted.
* Played with in the third [[Film/{{Spider-Man Trilogy}} Spider-Man]] film -- Eddie Brock fakes a photo of Spider-Man robbing a bank, and fools the entire staff of the Daily Bugle. Peter exposes the photo as fake. Sharp-eyed viewers may note that the base photo Peter produces is one of his own photos from the Empire State University photography department. Brock not only faked the photo, but he stole it from his ''direct rival''. J. Jonah Jameson is ''not'' happy about having to print a retraction.

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* Just like in ''Film/TheRunningMan'', the hero of ''Fahrenheit451'' ''Literature/{{Fahrenheit 451}}'' is shown to be chased and shot by the security forces despite still being alive and the people of the future take it for granted.
* Played with in the third [[Film/{{Spider-Man Trilogy}} Spider-Man]] film ''Film/SpiderMan3'' -- Eddie Brock fakes a photo of Spider-Man robbing a bank, and fools the entire staff of the Daily Bugle. Peter exposes the photo as fake. Sharp-eyed viewers may note that the base photo Peter produces is one of his own photos from the Empire State University photography department. Brock not only faked the photo, but he stole it from his ''direct rival''. J. Jonah Jameson is ''not'' happy about having to print a retraction.



* In PhilipKDick's ''Literature/DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep'', the religion of Mercerism is practised by using an "empathy box", a device which enables the user to experience the sensations of a man named William Mercer. Mercer is a Sisyphean figure, whose attempts to climb an enormous mountain represent humankind's struggle to arise from the fallen state that nuclear war has brought them to, while unseen enemies hurl rocks at him. The androids attempt to prove that the experience is faked and was constructed in a studio; therefore, they insist, the feeling of empathy that Mercerists experience is also fake, and human beings are not superior to androids.

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* In PhilipKDick's Creator/PhilipKDick's ''Literature/DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep'', the religion of Mercerism is practised by using an "empathy box", a device which enables the user to experience the sensations of a man named William Mercer. Mercer is a Sisyphean figure, whose attempts to climb an enormous mountain represent humankind's struggle to arise from the fallen state that nuclear war has brought them to, while unseen enemies hurl rocks at him. The androids attempt to prove that the experience is faked and was constructed in a studio; therefore, they insist, the feeling of empathy that Mercerists experience is also fake, and human beings are not superior to androids.



* DavidWeber uses it again in the ''{{Starfire}}'' novel ''Crusade''. The Aliens use a CG image to hide that their representative hailing the Terran ship is not human. The static in the image hides that the sound doesn't precisely match the image.
* Avoided, of all places, in ''At the Mountains of Madness'' (written in 1931 by Creator/HPLovecraft) where one of the protagonist's worries is that the photographic evidence of what he chronicles may be dismissed as clever fakes by the scientific community.
** Similar fears are present in all Lovecraft's stories, which include a protagonist desperate to prove the existence of some kind of EldritchAbomination to the general public. In ''In the Whisper in Darkness'' the aliens themselves seem to agree that everything the protagonist has gathered could be dismissed as cheap forgery.

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* DavidWeber Creator/DavidWeber uses it again in the ''{{Starfire}}'' ''Literature/{{Starfire}}'' novel ''Crusade''. The Aliens use a CG image to hide that their representative hailing the Terran ship is not human. The static in the image hides that the sound doesn't precisely match the image.
* Avoided, of all places, in ''At the Mountains of Madness'' (written in 1931 by Creator/HPLovecraft) where one of the protagonist's worries is that the photographic evidence of what he chronicles may be dismissed as clever fakes by the scientific community.
**
community. Similar fears are present in all Lovecraft's stories, which include a protagonist desperate to prove the existence of some kind of EldritchAbomination to the general public. In ''In the Whisper in Darkness'' the aliens themselves seem to agree that everything the protagonist has gathered could be dismissed as cheap forgery.



* ''[[Literature/TheLeagueOfPeoplesVerse Ascending]]'' by James Alan Gardner has the Honest Camera, which was built by SufficientlyAdvancedAliens. Since less-advanced species like humans don't have the technology to doctor images taken with it, it is acceptable evidence in courts of law.
* Sort-of subverted in MichaelCrichton's Literature/RisingSun. Right after the death of a supposed murderer whom a security camera had shown in the act, it is discovered that the brief part where his face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. However, at first the cops swallow the doctored tape hook, line and sinker. It's only after the Crichton-surrogate brings the tape to an audio-video wizard(an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) that the deception is revealed; as she dismantles the image step-by-step she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be ''careful.'' That we will not be ''Japanese.''"

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* ''[[Literature/TheLeagueOfPeoplesVerse Ascending]]'' by James Alan Gardner has the Honest Camera, which was built by SufficientlyAdvancedAliens.{{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s. Since less-advanced species like humans don't have the technology to doctor images taken with it, it is acceptable evidence in courts of law.
* Sort-of subverted in MichaelCrichton's Literature/RisingSun.Creator/MichaelCrichton's ''Literature/RisingSun''. Right after the death of a supposed murderer whom a security camera had shown in the act, it is discovered that the brief part where his face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. However, at first the cops swallow the doctored tape hook, line and sinker. It's only after the Crichton-surrogate brings the tape to an audio-video wizard(an wizard (an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) that the deception is revealed; as she dismantles the image step-by-step she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be ''careful.'' That we will not be ''Japanese.''"



* Averted in Creator/RichardKMorgan's ''Literature/AlteredCarbon''. An early plot point involves editing security camera tapes -- not to simply remove an incriminating section, but to ''add in'' simulated footage of a character doing something incriminating.

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* Averted in Creator/RichardKMorgan's ''Literature/AlteredCarbon''.''[[Literature/TakeshiKovacs Altered Carbon]]''. An early plot point involves editing security camera tapes -- not to simply remove an incriminating section, but to ''add in'' simulated footage of a character doing something incriminating.



* One {{Dragonlance}} novel (Kaz, the Minotaur) has an interesting case, as a magic crystal showing a murder scene is used as evidence of that murder, but the [[GenreSavvy genre savvy]] protagonist knows how easy is for a magician to forge a fake one.

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* One {{Dragonlance}} ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' novel (Kaz, the Minotaur) has an interesting case, as a magic crystal showing a murder scene is used as evidence of that murder, but the [[GenreSavvy genre savvy]] GenreSavvy protagonist knows how easy is for a magician to forge a fake one.



* There was an episode of ''MaxHeadroom'' in which it was discovered and discussed that digital media, including images stored in digital form, are subject to new and insidious forms of manipulation, distortion, and outright fakery.

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* There was an episode of ''MaxHeadroom'' ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' in which it was discovered and discussed that digital media, including images stored in digital form, are subject to new and insidious forms of manipulation, distortion, and outright fakery.



* DiagnosisMurder: Mark Sloan is convicted of murder in a borderline KangarooCourt. One of the witnesses, a landlady, is used to authenticate forged handwriting. At no point is a handwriting expert called to testify.
** These web pages summarize the episodes where Sloan is falsely accused and the evidence and/or accusers do not have strong evidence or use the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_media trial by media]] technique. [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/obsession-1/episode/15897/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/obsession-2/episode/15898/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/retribution-1/episode/15886/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/retribution-2/episode/15887/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/resurrection-3/episode/15899/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/resurrection-4/episode/15900/summary.html]]

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* DiagnosisMurder: ''Series/DiagnosisMurder'': Mark Sloan is convicted of murder in a borderline KangarooCourt. One of the witnesses, a landlady, is used to authenticate forged handwriting. At no point is a handwriting expert called to testify.
**
testify. These web pages summarize the episodes where Sloan is falsely accused and the evidence and/or accusers do not have strong evidence or use the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_media trial by media]] technique. [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/obsession-1/episode/15897/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/obsession-2/episode/15898/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/retribution-1/episode/15886/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/retribution-2/episode/15887/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/resurrection-3/episode/15899/summary.html]], [[http://www.tv.com/diagnosis-murder/resurrection-4/episode/15900/summary.html]]



* In the sixth season of ''TheShield'', Vic Mackie comes into possession of a photo that shows City Councilman David Aceveda being raped at gunpoint, performing oral sex on another man. Although the photo is genuine, Acaveda asserts that there's no authenticity, and issues a formal denial. "Which celebrity picture did you photoshop this from?"
* Subverted in an episode of ''FamilyMatters'', when video evidence convinces everybody on the jury except Steve Urkel, who figures out that it was edited to put the defendant's face on the real perpetrator's body.

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* In the sixth season of ''TheShield'', ''Series/TheShield'', Vic Mackie comes into possession of a photo that shows City Councilman David Aceveda being raped at gunpoint, performing oral sex on another man. Although the photo is genuine, Acaveda asserts that there's no authenticity, and issues a formal denial. "Which celebrity picture did you photoshop this from?"
* Subverted in an episode of ''FamilyMatters'', ''Series/FamilyMatters'', when video evidence convinces everybody on the jury except Steve Urkel, who figures out that it was edited to put the defendant's face on the real perpetrator's body.



* On an episode of ''{{Sliders}}'' with really quick GameShow-like trials with real death sentences, it's discovered a member of the crew edited a surveillance video of a crime, which he committed only to have someone to try tonight.
* A similar thing happens in an episode of the new TheOuterLimits, where a murderer sentenced to death is hunted down by the sister of the woman he was convicted of killing as part a reality tv show. It turns out that the security footage used to convict him was altered by the show's producer, since the real killer was a juvenile and thus not eligible for the death penalty and his show. In the end he gets exposed and [[DeathByIrony forced to perform in the same role]].

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* On an episode of ''{{Sliders}}'' ''Series/{{Sliders}}'' with really quick GameShow-like trials with real death sentences, it's discovered a member of the crew edited a surveillance video of a crime, which he committed only to have someone to try tonight.
* A similar thing happens in an episode of the new TheOuterLimits, ''Series/TheOuterLimits'', where a murderer sentenced to death is hunted down by the sister of the woman he was convicted of killing as part a reality tv show. It turns out that the security footage used to convict him was altered by the show's producer, since the real killer was a juvenile and thus not eligible for the death penalty and his show. In the end he gets exposed and [[DeathByIrony forced to perform in the same role]].



* Double subverted on ''CSINewYork'', in the episode that sent Stella to Greece. On discovering a plaster cast of a dagger supposedly buried with Alexander the Great, Mac initially assumes that it must have held a forgery. When carbon dating of a fragment of ivory from the dagger reveals that it's old enough to be the real thing, the trope is played straight and everyone acts as if it ''must'' be for real; the possibility that a forger might re-use ivory from some less-valuable or damaged antique from the same period never rates a mention.
* On ''{{Leverage}}'' this was Justified in that Hardison is a master computer hacker as well as they generally give other evidence to back up their altered version of events. One notable early example is The Bank Job in which [[PlayfulHacker Hardison]] fakes the security footage to make it look as if their mark, the [[spoiler: corrupt local Judge]], robbed the bank instead of the [[spoiler: desperate father and son]] that had actually robbed it. The reason this works is that the local cops already new the target of the frame was corrupt and believed it without much evidence. There was also the fact that the rest of the team posed as witnesses that gave the altered version of events and their mark also shot Nate.

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* Double subverted on ''CSINewYork'', ''Series/{{CSINY}}'', in the episode that sent Stella to Greece. On discovering a plaster cast of a dagger supposedly buried with Alexander the Great, Mac initially assumes that it must have held a forgery. When carbon dating of a fragment of ivory from the dagger reveals that it's old enough to be the real thing, the trope is played straight and everyone acts as if it ''must'' be for real; the possibility that a forger might re-use ivory from some less-valuable or damaged antique from the same period never rates a mention.
* On ''{{Leverage}}'' this ''Series/{{Leverage}}''
** This
was Justified justified in that Hardison is a master computer hacker as well as they generally give other evidence to back up their altered version of events. One notable early example is The Bank Job in which [[PlayfulHacker Hardison]] fakes the security footage to make it look as if their mark, the [[spoiler: corrupt local Judge]], robbed the bank instead of the [[spoiler: desperate father and son]] that had actually robbed it. The reason this works is that the local cops already new the target of the frame was corrupt and believed it without much evidence. There was also the fact that the rest of the team posed as witnesses that gave the altered version of events and their mark also shot Nate.



* ''LoisAndClark'' had an interesting case. A tabloid reporter got a real picture of Lois and Clark in a hotel room while he was still in his tights. However, she drops the camera, ruining the film, and has to resort to FramingTheGuiltyParty. Jimmy discovers that the pictures were doctored just in time.
* In an episode of ''JonathanCreek'', a phone message is faked to hide the fact that the caller had already been killed. This was accomplished by the killers putting him into a position where he had to read out a supposedly unrelated document that contained groups of words that could be rearranged via ManipulativeEditing to form the phone message.
* Hilariously subverted in an episode of ''BeingHuman'', when a vampire records Tom and George transforming into werewolves and uploads it to YouTube, hoping to cause chaos in the human world by revealing the existence of werewolves. It utterly fails, as everyone who sees the video just assumes it's done via special effects (with one commenter even criticizing the production quality).

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* ''LoisAndClark'' ''Series/LoisAndClark'' had an interesting case. A tabloid reporter got a real picture of Lois and Clark in a hotel room while he was still in his tights. However, she drops the camera, ruining the film, and has to resort to FramingTheGuiltyParty. Jimmy discovers that the pictures were doctored just in time.
* In an episode of ''JonathanCreek'', ''Series/JonathanCreek'', a phone message is faked to hide the fact that the caller had already been killed. This was accomplished by the killers putting him into a position where he had to read out a supposedly unrelated document that contained groups of words that could be rearranged via ManipulativeEditing to form the phone message.
* Hilariously subverted in an episode of ''BeingHuman'', ''Series/BeingHuman'', when a vampire records Tom and George transforming into werewolves and uploads it to YouTube, hoping to cause chaos in the human world by revealing the existence of werewolves. It utterly fails, as everyone who sees the video just assumes it's done via special effects (with one commenter even criticizing the production quality).



* At the start of VideoGame/MegaMan9, Dr. Wily uses some faked footage to help bolster his claims that Dr. Light is the mastermind behind the latest robot attacks.
* In the original ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium Command and Conquer]]'', a journalist is covering a attack on civilians by The Good Guys - we then cut to a scene with that very same reporter in front of a green screen in a small studio. The BigBad comes walking in, starts discussing how to spread the lie - then notices that the camera is still on and shoots it, ending the scene. Also of note is that the game takes place in 1995 or so, so its ''not'' the future, and green screens are the best we've got.

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* At the start of VideoGame/MegaMan9, ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'', Dr. Wily uses some faked footage to help bolster his claims that Dr. Light is the mastermind behind the latest robot attacks.
* In the original ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium Command ''VideoGame/{{Command and Conquer]]'', Conquer|TiberianDawn}}'', a journalist is covering a attack on civilians by The Good Guys - we then cut to a scene with that very same reporter in front of a green screen in a small studio. The BigBad comes walking in, starts discussing how to spread the lie - then notices that the camera is still on and shoots it, ending the scene. Also of note is that the game takes place in 1995 or so, so its ''not'' the future, and green screens are the best we've got.



* BioWare [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] this trope in KnightsOfTheOldRepublic. Present an incriminating recording to Jolee, and he [[DeadpanSnarker snarks]] that he saw a holovid once with a Mandalorian dancing with a rancor -- that doesn't mean it really happened. [[spoiler:The tape's legit and Jolee's pal is guilty as hell.]]
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/FrontMission 3'', which takes place in 2112. The explosion that happened in Yokosuka base in the beginning of the game was released to the media as a gas explosion, complete with videos. The media suspects that it's forged. It is.
** There's also the hilarious scene where an old soldier you run into sends you a picture of himself kicking a [[HumongousMecha Wanzer]] in half. Surprisingly, some of the boys don't recognize it for the obvious edit that it is.

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* BioWare [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] Creator/BioWare {{lampshade|Hanging}}d this trope in KnightsOfTheOldRepublic.''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. Present an incriminating recording to Jolee, and he [[DeadpanSnarker snarks]] that he saw a holovid once with a Mandalorian dancing with a rancor -- that doesn't mean it really happened. [[spoiler:The tape's legit and Jolee's pal is guilty as hell.]]
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/FrontMission 3'', which takes place in 2112. The explosion that happened in Yokosuka base in the beginning of the game was released to the media as a gas explosion, complete with videos. The media suspects that it's forged. It is.
**
is. There's also the hilarious scene where an old soldier you run into sends you a picture of himself kicking a [[HumongousMecha Wanzer]] in half. Surprisingly, some of the boys don't recognize it for the obvious edit that it is.



* One of the puzzles you could come across in the FMV game ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}'' involves an image supposedly taken from the protagonist's girlfriend's mind, [=IDing=] the titular killer. Your task: put it through an image analyzer and prove that it was faked.
** There's also a puzzle where you had to break into a secret lab locked by a voice recognition system. Your task is to track down the owner of the lab, record a snippet of her voice, then alter it to say what you need it to say to unlock the lab.

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* One of the puzzles you could come across in the FMV game ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}'' involves an image supposedly taken from the protagonist's girlfriend's mind, [=IDing=] the titular killer. Your task: put it through an image analyzer and prove that it was faked.
**
faked. There's also a puzzle where you had to break into a secret lab locked by a voice recognition system. Your task is to track down the owner of the lab, record a snippet of her voice, then alter it to say what you need it to say to unlock the lab.



* There is -- well, ''was'' -- a deviantArt comic that put a lampshade on this trope; the main character, Doodle/Zachary, was sent to the principal office. Said principal accused him of murdering another student and shoves a picture of Doodle killing her. Doodle's response?

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* There is -- well, ''was'' -- a deviantArt Website/DeviantArt comic that put a lampshade on this trope; the main character, Doodle/Zachary, was sent to the principal office. Said principal accused him of murdering another student and shoves a picture of Doodle killing her. Doodle's response?



* In ''TheBoondocks'', Huey gathers evidence that his Granddad's new girlfriend is really a "ho". When confronted with the pictures in front of Granddad, his girlfriend says they were Photoshopped, and Granddad believes her. Until her pimp shows up.
* In the HBO ''{{Spawn}}'', Jason Wynn has one of his employees fake an image of Terry Fitzgerald selling arms to terrorists. Later on, Wynne sends Merrick and a couple other agents to kill Fitzgerald. Merrick confronts Fitzgerald with the fake image, and the conversation goes as followed:

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* In ''TheBoondocks'', ''ComicStrip/TheBoondocks'', Huey gathers evidence that his Granddad's new girlfriend is really a "ho". When confronted with the pictures in front of Granddad, his girlfriend says they were Photoshopped, and Granddad believes her. Until her pimp shows up.
* In the HBO ''{{Spawn}}'', ''Comicbook/{{Spawn}}'', Jason Wynn has one of his employees fake an image of Terry Fitzgerald selling arms to terrorists. Later on, Wynne sends Merrick and a couple other agents to kill Fitzgerald. Merrick confronts Fitzgerald with the fake image, and the conversation goes as followed:



* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}.'' After the crew document the evolution of life on an alien world, a creationist reviews the evidence and admits, "Well, digital photographs don't lie."
** Even worse, said creationist isn't called out when he presents what is obviously a whimsical artist's rendition of a hominid riding a dinosaur.
* Alejandro from ''[[TotalDramaIsland Total Drama World Tour]]'' used photo manipulation to trick Sierra into thinking Cody and Heather slept together.

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* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}.'' After the crew document the evolution of life on an alien world, a creationist reviews the evidence and admits, "Well, digital photographs don't lie."
**
" Even worse, said creationist isn't called out when he presents what is obviously a whimsical artist's rendition of a hominid riding a dinosaur.
* Alejandro from ''[[TotalDramaIsland ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Total Drama World Tour]]'' used photo manipulation to trick Sierra into thinking Cody and Heather slept together.



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* In the ''AceAttorney'' series, quite a lot of evidence comes from photographs and video recordings which were conveniently taken by passerbys/witnesses/the police/whoever. Even if the person who provided the evidence has reason to be against the defendant though, the authenticity of such evidence is never called into question. Even when Franziska provides a photograph that supposedly shows Maya Fey shapeshifting into her dead sister (which is real, but no one seems to notice), everyone takes it completely serious and as a plausible explanation [[spoiler:for Maya's murder charge - that she committed the crime while possessed by a vengeful ghost.]] This becomes even more ridiculous in ''ApolloJustice'' and ''Dual Destinies'', when one of the things contributing to the Dark Age of the Law is evidence forgery and yet no one considers tampering with photos or videos to be a possibility.

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* In the ''AceAttorney'' ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, quite a lot of evidence comes from photographs and video recordings which were conveniently taken by passerbys/witnesses/the police/whoever. Even if the person who provided the evidence has reason to be against the defendant though, the authenticity of such evidence is never called into question. Even when Franziska provides a photograph that supposedly shows Maya Fey shapeshifting into her dead sister (which is real, but no one seems to notice), everyone takes it completely serious seriously and as a plausible explanation [[spoiler:for Maya's murder charge - that she committed the crime while possessed by a vengeful ghost.]] This becomes even more ridiculous in ''ApolloJustice'' ''Apollo Justice'' and ''Dual Destinies'', when one of the things contributing to the Dark Age of the Law is evidence forgery and yet no one considers tampering with photos or videos to be a possibility.
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* This comes up in ''Anime/ValvraveTheLiberator'', when the heroes try to expose the AncientConspiracy using video evidence. The AncientConspiracy immediately releases a claim that the footage was edited and fake. Some people apparently buy this explanation, but enough remain unconvinced that it becomes a major problem for them.
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to:

* In the ''AceAttorney'' series, quite a lot of evidence comes from photographs and video recordings which were conveniently taken by passerbys/witnesses/the police/whoever. Even if the person who provided the evidence has reason to be against the defendant though, the authenticity of such evidence is never called into question. Even when Franziska provides a photograph that supposedly shows Maya Fey shapeshifting into her dead sister (which is real, but no one seems to notice), everyone takes it completely serious and as a plausible explanation [[spoiler:for Maya's murder charge - that she committed the crime while possessed by a vengeful ghost.]] This becomes even more ridiculous in ''ApolloJustice'' and ''Dual Destinies'', when one of the things contributing to the Dark Age of the Law is evidence forgery and yet no one considers tampering with photos or videos to be a possibility.
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* Subverted in ''FrontMission 3'', which takes place in 2112. The explosion that happened in Yokosuka base in the beginning of the game was released to the media as a gas explosion, complete with videos. The media suspects that it's forged. It is.

to:

* Subverted in ''FrontMission ''VideoGame/FrontMission 3'', which takes place in 2112. The explosion that happened in Yokosuka base in the beginning of the game was released to the media as a gas explosion, complete with videos. The media suspects that it's forged. It is.
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* In PhilipKDick's ''DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep?'', the religion of Mercerism is practised by using an "empathy box", a device which enables the user to experience the sensations of a man named William Mercer. Mercer is a Sisyphean figure, whose attempts to climb an enormous mountain represent humankind's struggle to arise from the fallen state that nuclear war has brought them to, while unseen enemies hurl rocks at him. The androids attempt to prove that the experience is faked and was constructed in a studio; therefore, they insist, the feeling of empathy that Mercerists experience is also fake, and human beings are not superior to androids.

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* In PhilipKDick's ''DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep?'', ''Literature/DoAndroidsDreamOfElectricSheep'', the religion of Mercerism is practised by using an "empathy box", a device which enables the user to experience the sensations of a man named William Mercer. Mercer is a Sisyphean figure, whose attempts to climb an enormous mountain represent humankind's struggle to arise from the fallen state that nuclear war has brought them to, while unseen enemies hurl rocks at him. The androids attempt to prove that the experience is faked and was constructed in a studio; therefore, they insist, the feeling of empathy that Mercerists experience is also fake, and human beings are not superior to androids.

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** Digital manipulation is used once again in ''An Act of War'', a short from the fifth anthology, ''In Fire Forged''. In a complicated series of double- and triple- crosses, the protagonist (aboard a former Manticorian warship captured by StateSec) has the transmissions modified so that the crew appear to be actual Manticorian officers rather than members of StaeSec. It's also used to [[spoiler:secretly signal that they're not who they're pretending to be, by inserting an image of Honor Harrington at one of the stations -- the person viewing the transmission knows Honor personally, and knows that she couldn't possibly be aboard that ship.]]
*** Ironically, he knows this because [[spoiler: this occurs when she's believed dead due to the aforementioned fake video of her execution]].

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** Digital manipulation is used once again in ''An Act of War'', a short from the fifth anthology, ''In Fire Forged''. In a complicated series of double- and triple- crosses, the protagonist (aboard a former Manticorian warship captured by StateSec) has the transmissions modified so that the crew appear to be actual Manticorian officers rather than members of StaeSec.StateSec. It's also used to [[spoiler:secretly signal that they're not who they're pretending to be, by inserting an image of Honor Harrington at one of the stations -- the person viewing the transmission knows Honor personally, and knows that she couldn't possibly be aboard that ship.]]
***
]] Ironically, he knows this because [[spoiler: this occurs when she's believed dead due to the aforementioned fake video of her execution]].
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*** Ironically, he knows this because [[spoiler: this occurs when she's believed dead due to the aforementioned fake video of her execution]].
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* In ''[[Literature/TheCallistaTrilogy Planet of Twilight]]'', an associate of the BigBad fakes a holographic recording of a meeting with Princess Leia, in order to paint her as an out-of-touch StrawPolitical to the locals.

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* In ''[[Literature/TheCallistaTrilogy Planet of Twilight]]'', an associate of the BigBad fakes a holographic recording of a meeting with Princess Leia, in order to paint her as an out-of-touch StrawPolitical [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]] to the locals.
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* In the somewhere between quirky and bizarre (and set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture) miniseries ''WildPalms'', photos and video are routinely faked; and when a character is asked by reporters, "Isn't it true that a picture is worth a thousand words?", with regards to a key piece of trial evidence, that character responds with a sneer: "You gotta be kidding me."

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* In the somewhere between quirky and bizarre (and set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture) miniseries ''WildPalms'', ''Series/WildPalms'', photos and video are routinely faked; and when a character is asked by reporters, "Isn't it true that a picture is worth a thousand words?", with regards to a key piece of trial evidence, that character responds with a sneer: "You gotta be kidding me."
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* An episode of ''{{Bonanza}}'' had a killer use old fashioned photo manipulation techniques using multiple exposures to fake a picture to give himself an alibi because "photographs never lie."

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* An episode of ''{{Bonanza}}'' ''{{Series/Bonanza}}'' had a killer use old fashioned photo manipulation techniques using multiple exposures to fake a picture to give himself an alibi because "photographs never lie."
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* In ''[[TheCallistaTrilogy Planet of Twilight]]'', an associate of the BigBad fakes a holographic recording of a meeting with Princess Leia, in order to paint her as an out-of-touch StrawPolitical to the locals.

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* In ''[[TheCallistaTrilogy ''[[Literature/TheCallistaTrilogy Planet of Twilight]]'', an associate of the BigBad fakes a holographic recording of a meeting with Princess Leia, in order to paint her as an out-of-touch StrawPolitical to the locals.
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spelling correction


* In the sixth season of ''TheShield'', Vic Mackie comes into possession of a photo that shows City Councilman David Alcevada being raped at gunpoint, performing oral sex on another man. Although the photo is genuine, Alcaveda asserts that there's no authenticity, and issues a formal denial. "Which celebrity picture did you photoshop this from?"

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* In the sixth season of ''TheShield'', Vic Mackie comes into possession of a photo that shows City Councilman David Alcevada Aceveda being raped at gunpoint, performing oral sex on another man. Although the photo is genuine, Alcaveda Acaveda asserts that there's no authenticity, and issues a formal denial. "Which celebrity picture did you photoshop this from?"
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* In the ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'' series by DavidBrin, their talent for special effects is one of the few advantages humans have over the eons-old Galactic cultures, who are apparently too stodgy and unimaginative to expect this sort of deception. Except, of course, [[spoiler:for Culla in Sundiver -- who does exactly this at the request of some murky powers in the elder Galactic cultures.]]

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* In the ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'' series by DavidBrin, Creator/DavidBrin, their talent for special effects is one of the few advantages humans have over the eons-old Galactic cultures, who are apparently too stodgy and unimaginative to expect this sort of deception. Except, of course, [[spoiler:for Culla in Sundiver -- who does exactly this at the request of some murky powers in the elder Galactic cultures.]]
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* Averted in an episode of ''TheWire'', when Mayor Royce distributes photoshopped flyers showing mayoral hopeful Tommy Carcetti with a notorious slumlord. It's a desperate Hail Mary play that doesn't work in the slightest.
* In the ''Series/{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Deep Throat", Mulder buys a photograph of a U.F.O. from a diner waitress, only for Scully to have it checked and find out that it had been faked.

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* Averted in an episode of ''TheWire'', ''Series/TheWire'', when Mayor Royce distributes photoshopped flyers showing mayoral hopeful Tommy Carcetti with a notorious slumlord. It's a desperate Hail Mary play that doesn't work in the slightest.
* In the ''Series/{{The X-Files}}'' ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "Deep Throat", Mulder buys a photograph of a U.F.O. from a diner waitress, only for Scully to have it checked and find out that it had been faked.

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* A fantasy variant is found in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', where an unscrupulous elemental mage captures innocuous phrases on the wind with his magic, then alters them to sound far worse than they actually were. He uses this to break up relationships of women he's interested in so that he can sleep with them on the rebound. [[spoiler:One of his previous targets was Runcible Spoon's wife.]] His attempt to use it on Luna fails, however, because both she and Dominic are well aware of what he can do, and refuse to trust the veracity of his "evidence".

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* A fantasy variant is found in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', where an unscrupulous elemental mage captures innocuous phrases on the wind with his magic, then alters them to sound far worse than they actually were. He uses this to break up relationships of women he's interested in so that he can sleep with them on the rebound. [[spoiler:One of his previous targets was Runcible Spoon's wife.]] His attempt to use it on Luna fails, however, because both she and Dominic are well aware of what he can do, and refuse to trust the veracity of his "evidence"."evidence". [[spoiler:One of his previous targets was Runcible Spoon's wife, and boy was he pissed when he found out.]]
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* In ''SuperRobotWarsZ'', the protagonists, while [[LetsSplitUpGang split up]], are shown footage of the other side engaging in morally reprehensible acts, which causes them to come to blows when they meet back up. The matter is resolved, but not before it's used to justify the Freedom vs Impulse battle from ''GundamSEEDDestiny''.

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* In ''SuperRobotWarsZ'', ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ'', the protagonists, while [[LetsSplitUpGang split up]], are shown footage of the other side engaging in morally reprehensible acts, which causes them to come to blows when they meet back up. The matter is resolved, but not before it's used to justify the Freedom vs Impulse battle from ''GundamSEEDDestiny''.
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* Played with in the third {{Spider-Man}} film -- Eddie Brock fakes a photo of Spider-Man robbing a bank, and fools the entire staff of the Daily Bugle. Peter exposes the photo as fake. Sharp-eyed viewers may note that the base photo Peter produces is one of his own photos from the Empire State University photography department. Brock not only faked the photo, but he stole it from his ''direct rival''. J. Jonah Jameson is ''not'' happy about having to print a retraction.

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* Played with in the third {{Spider-Man}} [[Film/{{Spider-Man Trilogy}} Spider-Man]] film -- Eddie Brock fakes a photo of Spider-Man robbing a bank, and fools the entire staff of the Daily Bugle. Peter exposes the photo as fake. Sharp-eyed viewers may note that the base photo Peter produces is one of his own photos from the Empire State University photography department. Brock not only faked the photo, but he stole it from his ''direct rival''. J. Jonah Jameson is ''not'' happy about having to print a retraction.



* Sort-of subverted in MichaelCrichton's Rising Sun. Right after the death of a supposed murderer whom a security camera had shown in the act, it is discovered that the brief part where his face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. However, at first the cops swallow the doctored tape hook, line and sinker. It's only after the Crichton-surrogate brings the tape to an audio-video wizard(an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) that the deception is revealed; as she dismantles the image step-by-step she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be ''careful.'' That we will not be ''Japanese.''"

to:

* Sort-of subverted in MichaelCrichton's Rising Sun.Literature/RisingSun. Right after the death of a supposed murderer whom a security camera had shown in the act, it is discovered that the brief part where his face was visible was modified, and that the camera had originally taped someone else committing the crime. However, at first the cops swallow the doctored tape hook, line and sinker. It's only after the Crichton-surrogate brings the tape to an audio-video wizard(an expatriate Japanese woman who immigrated to the US so she would not be ostracized for her deformed hand) that the deception is revealed; as she dismantles the image step-by-step she criticizes the arrogance of the Japanese editors who made the tape; obvious-once-revealed errors such as sloppy airbrushing and extra shadows - "They think we will not be ''careful.'' That we will not be ''Japanese.''"



* In the somewhere between quirky and bizarre (and set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture) miniseries ''Wild Palms'', photos and video are routinely faked; and when a character is asked by reporters, "Isn't it true that a picture is worth a thousand words?", with regards to a key piece of trial evidence, that character responds with a sneer: "You gotta be kidding me."

to:

* In the somewhere between quirky and bizarre (and set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture) miniseries ''Wild Palms'', ''WildPalms'', photos and video are routinely faked; and when a character is asked by reporters, "Isn't it true that a picture is worth a thousand words?", with regards to a key piece of trial evidence, that character responds with a sneer: "You gotta be kidding me."



* A similar thing happens in an episode of the new Outer Limits, where a murderer sentenced to death is hunted down by the sister of the woman he was convicted of killing as part a reality tv show. It turns out that the security footage used to convict him was altered by the show's producer, since the real killer was a juvenile and thus not eligible for the death penalty and his show. In the end he gets exposed and [[DeathByIrony forced to perform in the same role]].

to:

* A similar thing happens in an episode of the new Outer Limits, TheOuterLimits, where a murderer sentenced to death is hunted down by the sister of the woman he was convicted of killing as part a reality tv show. It turns out that the security footage used to convict him was altered by the show's producer, since the real killer was a juvenile and thus not eligible for the death penalty and his show. In the end he gets exposed and [[DeathByIrony forced to perform in the same role]].



* One of the puzzles you could come across in the FMV game ''Ripper'' involves an image supposedly taken from the protagonist's girlfriend's mind, [=IDing=] the titular killer. Your task: put it through an image analyzer and prove that it was faked.

to:

* One of the puzzles you could come across in the FMV game ''Ripper'' ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}'' involves an image supposedly taken from the protagonist's girlfriend's mind, [=IDing=] the titular killer. Your task: put it through an image analyzer and prove that it was faked.

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* In the ''{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Deep Throat", Mulder buys a photograph of a U.F.O. from a diner waitress, only for Scully to have it checked and find out that it had been faked.

to:

* In the ''{{The ''Series/{{The X-Files}}'' episode "Deep Throat", Mulder buys a photograph of a U.F.O. from a diner waitress, only for Scully to have it checked and find out that it had been faked.



* In the original ''[[CommandAndConquerTiberium VideoGame/CommandAndConquer]]'', a journalist is covering a attack on civilians by The Good Guys - we then cut to a scene with that very same reporter in front of a green screen in a small studio. The BigBad comes walking in, starts discussing how to spread the lie - then notices that the camera is still on and shoots it, ending the scene. Also of note is that the game takes place in 1995 or so, so its ''not'' the future, and green screens are the best we've got.

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* At the start of VideoGame/MegaMan9, Dr. Wily uses some faked footage to help bolster his claims that Dr. Light is the mastermind behind the latest robot attacks.
* In the original ''[[CommandAndConquerTiberium VideoGame/CommandAndConquer]]'', ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium Command and Conquer]]'', a journalist is covering a attack on civilians by The Good Guys - we then cut to a scene with that very same reporter in front of a green screen in a small studio. The BigBad comes walking in, starts discussing how to spread the lie - then notices that the camera is still on and shoots it, ending the scene. Also of note is that the game takes place in 1995 or so, so its ''not'' the future, and green screens are the best we've got.



*** But actually ''averted'' with Kane's hello message to GDI, although you have to [[AllThereInTheManual look into the manual to find out about it]]: GDI ''did'' consider the possibility that it was a fake, and had it thoroughly analyzed. The conclusion was that while there ''was'' some odd distortion, it was too little for it to be a fake (they theorize that it was the result of some form of amplifier, while later events implies that it was [[spoiler: ''half'' of Kane's face being faked -- specifically, the half that has a metal cover whenever Kane is shown 'in person' but is conspiciously missing when he's sending messages]]).

to:

*** But actually ''averted'' with Kane's hello message to GDI, although you have to [[AllThereInTheManual look into the manual to find out about it]]: GDI ''did'' consider the possibility that it was a fake, and had it thoroughly analyzed. The conclusion was that while there ''was'' some odd distortion, it was too little for it to be a fake (they theorize that it was the result of some form of amplifier, while later events implies that it was [[spoiler: ''half'' of Kane's face being faked -- specifically, the half that has a metal cover whenever Kane is shown 'in person' but is conspiciously conspicuously missing when he's sending messages]]).






* A fantasy variant is found in ''DominicDeegan'', where an unscrupulous elemental mage captures innocuous phrases on the wind with his magic, then alters them to sound far worse than they actually were. He uses this to break up relationships of women he's interested in so that he can sleep with them on the rebound. [[spoiler:One of his previous targets was Runcible Spoon's wife.]] His attempt to use it on Luna fails, however, because both she and Dominic are well aware of what he can do, and refuse to trust the veracity of his "evidence".

to:

* A fantasy variant is found in ''DominicDeegan'', ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', where an unscrupulous elemental mage captures innocuous phrases on the wind with his magic, then alters them to sound far worse than they actually were. He uses this to break up relationships of women he's interested in so that he can sleep with them on the rebound. [[spoiler:One of his previous targets was Runcible Spoon's wife.]] His attempt to use it on Luna fails, however, because both she and Dominic are well aware of what he can do, and refuse to trust the veracity of his "evidence".
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* A critical scene early in ''MassEffect'' hinges on the use of an audio file recovered from a geth soldier that implicates Saren in the attack on Eden Prime. Nobody questions its authenticity, at least on-screen, which is especially odd considering that the evidence was provided by a quarian, whose race is generally not trusted by the rest of the galaxy. Though, as you arrive in the middle of the evidence being presented, it is plausible any authentication process would have been completed already.

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* A critical scene early in ''MassEffect'' ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' hinges on the use of an audio file recovered from a geth soldier that implicates Saren in the attack on Eden Prime. Nobody questions its authenticity, at least on-screen, which is especially odd considering that the evidence was provided by a quarian, whose race is generally not trusted by the rest of the galaxy. Though, as you arrive in the middle of the evidence being presented, it is plausible any authentication process would have been completed already.

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** Digital manipulation is used once again in ''An Act of War'', a short from the fifth anthology, ''In Fire Forged''. In a complicated series of double- and triple- crosses, the protagonist (aboard a StateSec warship) has the transmissions modified so that the crew appear to be onboard a Solly merchant ship instead, and the uniforms changed to match. It's also used to [[spoiler:secretly signal that they're not who they're pretending to be, by inserting an image of Honor Harrington at one of the stations -- the person viewing the transmission knows Honor personally, and knows that she couldn't possibly be aboard that ship.]]

to:

** Digital manipulation is used once again in ''An Act of War'', a short from the fifth anthology, ''In Fire Forged''. In a complicated series of double- and triple- crosses, the protagonist (aboard a StateSec warship) former Manticorian warship captured by StateSec) has the transmissions modified so that the crew appear to be onboard a Solly merchant ship instead, and the uniforms changed to match.actual Manticorian officers rather than members of StaeSec. It's also used to [[spoiler:secretly signal that they're not who they're pretending to be, by inserting an image of Honor Harrington at one of the stations -- the person viewing the transmission knows Honor personally, and knows that she couldn't possibly be aboard that ship.]]
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Added Dragonlance example



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* One {{Dragonlance}} novel (Kaz, the Minotaur) has an interesting case, as a magic crystal showing a murder scene is used as evidence of that murder, but the [[GenreSavvy genre savvy]] protagonist knows how easy is for a magician to forge a fake one.

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* ''Film/TheNinthGate'': the Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.

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* ''Film/TheNinthGate'': the The Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.margin.
** This is expanded upon at length in the novel that the movie was loosely based on, ''Literature/TheClubDumas'': when forging an antique book, you're not just forging an image or some text. You're producing a whole physical artifact which can - and ''will'' - be extensively scrutinized by experts to make sure it's real. You need the right kind of paper from the right time period and right manufacturer to pass chemical analysis. You need the right kind of ink as well. The right kind of binding materials, wood, leather, whatever; and the right binding techniques. And that's not even getting into making sure the fake actually looks the proper age. If there's a single flaw it will be found out sooner or later. The Ceniza brothers are experts who ''can'' do it, and will out of love for the craft of book-making and the challenge (plus the money, of course), but they cite the sheer difficulty when feigning innocence.
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* TheNinthGate: the Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.

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* TheNinthGate: ''Film/TheNinthGate'': the Ceniza brothers tell Dean Corso that forging an antique book is very difficult and has a low profit margin.
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* Sometimes, all that new-fangled CGI technology can still trip people up. One egregious case was where the ITV news program ''Exposure'' aired some footage of the IRA shooting down a British helicopter; Except the footage was actually from someone playing the video game ''ArmA2''.
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* In the early years of photography, several infamous hoaxes were carried out using such crude techniques as ink-doctored images, double exposures, forced perspective or two-dimensional props. To modern eyes, most such images look blatantly fake, but the very idea that a photo ''could'' be altered or staged was strange to audiences of the day.
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* Hilariously subverted in an episode of ''BeingHuman'', when a vampire records Tom and George transforming into werewolves and uploads it to YouTube, hoping to cause chaos in the human world by revealing the existence of werewolves. It utterly fails, as everyone who sees the video just assumes it's done via special effects (with one commenter even criticizing the production quality).
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* The prelude to Marvel's "Secret War" featured SHIELD agents interrogating Killer Shrike about a robbery they have him on tape committing. This is accepted as infallible evidence despite the fact that the Marvel universe is filled to the brim with shapeshifters, mind-altering psychics, and technological masterminds; if the Fixer can edit Godzilla into Bogart's role in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', he can frame Killer Shrike with his eyes closed.

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* The prelude to Marvel's "Secret War" "ComicBook/SecretWar" featured SHIELD agents interrogating Killer Shrike about a robbery they have him on tape committing. This is accepted as infallible evidence despite the fact that the Marvel universe is filled to the brim with shapeshifters, mind-altering psychics, and technological masterminds; if the Fixer can edit Godzilla into Bogart's role in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', he can frame Killer Shrike with his eyes closed.

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