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# MW Metadata
| **MW Metadata** | **Quick Overview** |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| URL | |
| What it does | Extracts publicly available metadata from YouTube videos. |
| How to use it | Paste a YouTube URL and review the extracted metadata. |
| Cost | Free. |
| Account required | No. |
| Cookies | Multiple YouTube authentication, session, and preference cookies including SAPISID, SID, SIDCC, SSID, VISITOR\_INFO1\_LIVE, and YSC. |
| Ownership | Created by Matt Wright. |
| Use in Reporting | Useful for verifying video details, publication timelines, and source attribution. |
### What does MW Metadata do?
MW Metadata analyses YouTube videos and extracts publicly available metadata associated with them. The tool can reveal information such as upload timestamps, video identifiers, thumbnails, channel information, publication dates, and other metadata that may assist investigators conducting social media, disinformation, journalism, or threat intelligence investigations.
**The lowdown:** Essentially, the tool simplifies the process of obtaining metadata that would otherwise require manual examination of YouTube source data or API queries.
### How to Use:
**1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to investigate and paste into the search bar.**
**2. Simply review the extracted metadata and use relevant findings to support verification, timeline analysis, or attribution efforts.**
### Cost
* [x] Free
* [ ] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid
## Data Processing
### Account Required:
* [ ] Yes
* [x] No
### Cookies:
The site uses multiple YouTube authentication, session, and preference cookies including SAPISID, SID, SIDCC, SSID, VISITOR\_INFO1\_LIVE, and YSC.
### Use in Reporting
MW Metadata is best used to:
* Verify YouTube publication dates and times.
* Support social media timeline analysis.
* Corroborate video attribution findings.
* Document source material used in investigations.
* Support misinformation and disinformation investigations.
* Identify channels associated with specific content.
The tool is regularly referenced in OSINT communities as a YouTube metadata extraction, verification, and timeline analysis tool.
| **Capabilities** | **Limitations** |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Extracts metadata from public YouTube videos. | Only works with publicly accessible YouTube content. |
| Retrieves upload and publication information. | Cannot access deleted, private, or restricted videos. |
| Displays channel and video identifiers. | Metadata availability depends on YouTube data exposure. |
| Accesses thumbnail and associated media data. | Does not verify the authenticity of video content. |
| Supports social media verification and timeline analysis. | Limited to YouTube and does not analyse other platforms. |
### Summary
MW Metadata is primarily a verification tool, used to validate YouTube video details and support attribution, timeline analysis, and evidential reporting.
### Ownership
MW Geofind was created by [Matt Wright](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwright324/), an Application Developer based in Pennsylvania. The tool forms part of a wider collection of free OSINT resources hosted on the MattW\.io platform including MW Geofind.
### Ethical Considerations
* Respect platform terms of service.
* Verify metadata findings using additional sources where possible.
* Do not treat metadata alone as proof of authenticity.
* Consider context when analysing publication timelines.
* Maintain transparency regarding evidential limitations.
* Ensure investigations comply with privacy and legal requirements.
### Related Tools:
* InVID
* YouTube DataViewer
* EXIF Tools
#### Sources
---
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