Image Design: Critical Image Analysis

The objective of Image Design was to teach the learner how to recognize manipulated images and how to analyze the intention in creating these manipulated images through a process involving critical thinking and the use of the most effective open source intelligence tools (OSINT). It is with the intention of enhancing visual literacy in the Philippine educational curriculum and preventing the spread of misinformation via images on social media. It’s my idea of social justice. In this research project, specific cases of alleged image-based networked propaganda are cited in a discussion of the problem of disinformation campaigns that influenced the decision-making ability of the Filipino people during the previous election in 2022. I discussed the case of President Bongbong Marcos’ diploma by dissecting what was contained in the image of the diploma itself, which captivated the interest of several online news outlets, including Rappler, Bloomberg, and The Guardian, which published my story. I also mentioned the use of fabricated images in some viral Facebook posts, which I called out, resulting in the thread starters admitting or editing the captions of their posts. My approach to expounding the subject was to administer an elective class that is an exact deviation from the traditional Photo 101 course, which typically covers DSLR camera functions and darkroom techniques, depending on the availability of the equipment. I introduced activities that combine critical thinking and creativity in the creation of images that are socio-politically and culturally relevant to each student, using smartphones and social media to express these visual narratives. In addition, I introduced assessment tools that test the participants’ ability to distinguish between manipulated and unmanipulated images, as well as a section in which a dialogue about a particular image would begin with a question about the image of interest in order to spark a conversation. I examine the use of open source intelligence tools (OSINT), as well as what I learned from my discussions with two of Goldsmiths University of London’s most prestigious departments and agencies, the Center for Investigative Journalism (TCIJ) and the Forensic Architecture, by conducting interviews with key individuals who shared the best practice tools in imaging analysis and investigation. Recommendations are explained based on the extent of the work I undertook and the results I obtained from this limited research, which explores all the possible avenues for further investigation of the topic that could be of benefit to people, particularly the younger generation of Filipino students