You spotted a video that looks wrong. The face does not move right. The hands distort on close inspection. Something is off.
Now what?
Most guides stop at detection. This one starts there. Here is the full action sequence, in order.
Step 1: Do not share it
Before you do anything else: do not repost, quote-post, or screenshot-share the video. AI-generated content spreads fastest when real users amplify it to their own audiences. Even sharing it to warn people about it extends its reach. Complete steps 2 through 4 first.
Step 2: Check whether it has already been flagged
Paste the video URL into Ledger at ledgerapp.app/check. If other users have already encountered this account or video, you will see the community's report. This tells you two things: whether there is existing evidence, and whether this is an isolated video or part of a pattern of AI-generated content from the same account.
If the account has been flagged repeatedly, that is a stronger signal than a single suspicious video.
Step 3: Report it on the platform
Platform reporting is slow and rarely results in visible action, but it contributes to the algorithmic signals the platform uses to deprioritize accounts. Do it anyway.
On TikTok: Long-press the video, tap Report, select "Fake or misleading content," then "Synthetic or manipulated media."
On Instagram: Tap the three dots on the post, tap Report, select "False information," then "Edited media or deepfake."
On Facebook: Tap the three dots on the post, tap Report post, select "False information," then "Deepfake or manipulated media."
The reports go into a queue. Enforcement timelines are measured in days, not minutes. Do not expect immediate action.
Step 4: Add your vote to Ledger
If the video has not been seen before on Ledger, your vote starts the community record. Go to ledgerapp.app/ledger and submit the video. Your assessment, combined with votes from other users, builds a consensus score that makes the next check faster for everyone who encounters the same account.
One vote is not a verdict. A pattern of votes from multiple users is the signal that matters.
Step 5: If the video targets a real person, document it
If the deepfake is of a specific real person, especially a public figure, journalist, or someone you know personally, document it before reporting. Platform reports sometimes result in the content being removed before any third party can review it.
Take a screen recording of the video with the URL visible. Note the account name, follower count, and date. Save the URL. If the content involves non-consensual intimate imagery, the NCII.org hash-matching tool allows victims to submit a hash of the content that platforms can use to block future uploads without requiring the victim to re-report every instance.
Step 6: Do not interact with the account
Do not comment, follow, or engage with the account in any way. Engagement signals to the algorithm that the content is interesting, which increases distribution to other users. Silence is the correct response to an account you have flagged as generating AI content.
Why Reporting a Deepfake on TikTok or Instagram Is Not Enough
TikTok's Q1 2026 transparency report documented 2.3 million AI video removals in three months. That figure represents what their automated systems caught. It does not represent the full volume of AI-generated content that remained on the platform. According to the same reporting period, removal rates for flagged AI content improved when community reports accompanied automated detection.
The Ledger community database is designed to fill the gap between what platforms catch automatically and what slips through. Your report adds to a shared record that persists across accounts, even when those accounts delete content or switch usernames.
Check a Video Now
Paste a TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook Reel URL into Ledger and see what the community has already found.
Check a video at ledgerapp.app/check
Related Posts
- How to Tell If a TikTok Video Is AI-Generated: 7 Signs to Check Right Now: the visual detection guide for spotting AI video before you report it
- What Is a Deepfake? A Plain-English Guide for Social Media Users: what the different types of AI-generated video actually are
- The 6 Visual Tells That Instantly Give Away an AI Face on Video: a closer look at the face-specific artifacts that give synthetic content away
