Is that quote being played on the radio the original one? Or has it been edited by the author possibly changing its original meaning?

Finding out if an audio file has been modified from its original version is a difficult task, sometimes even when the original signal is available. This is why Fraunhofer IDMT has developed the “audio detective.” A tool that allows the detection of specific audio samples and reveals chains of editing steps performed to the audio file. Users can rely on the “Audio Forensics Toolbox” to obtain accurate information about the technical quality of data, to draw conclusions about the authenticity of audio reports and to simplify the production process.

During the recording and production of audio data, clear traces are left behind. The Audio Forensics Toolbox can identify metadata such as information of the devices and microphones used to produce the data. Furthermore, the Audio Forensics Toolbox can detect cuts in the audio material, and can verify whether segments from an audio production are used in other reports. This helps content aggregators and broadcasters avoid redundancies and inconsistencies in the content. High quality is often a decisive factor when it comes to the continuous use of audio material. The Audio Forensics Toolbox allows media archivists to check content for previous encoding steps in an efficient and convenient manner, as wells as to optimize the encoding process.

The Audio Forensics Toolbox was presented for the first time at the international broadcasting trade fair NAB Show in Las Vegas in April 2016. At the same event, Fraunhofer IDMT also introduced an update to its AVAnalyzing Toolbox which also offers the functionality of finding and marking identical video segments in a collection of video data.