On March 10, 2024, Kate Middleton posted a photograph of herself
and her three children to celebrate Mother's Day in the
United Kingdom. This was the first photograph released of Kate
following a reported abdominal surgery which gave rise to a number
of conspiracy theories about her whereabouts and wellbeing. After
the photo was posted, online sleuths quickly deduced that the image
had been altered, prompting an apology from Kate for her
“experiment with editing”.
While this editing may have been easily spotted, other altered
images are not as easily identified. As AI technology grows in
popularity, so does the concern about people's ability to
discern which images are real and which are edited. The legal
system places great importance on ensuring the integrity of
evidence presented in court. Much like the online sleuths with Kate
Middleton's photograph, the courts take steps to verify the
authenticity of photographs. Without knowing it, the public has
applied many
