There are many things you can do to stop the spread of misinformation or disinformation. Read this Reality Check Zine from MediaWise to learn more.
Read and view content critically. Is it satire, hoax, or clickbait?
Stop sharing it.
Can you contact the source any other way besides email?
Beware if you see a post on social media that says that the social media company "keeps deleting this” or tells readers to “make it go viral!”
Both statements are red flags that the post is not accurate.
Share responsibly
According to a Columbia University study, 59 percent of people who shared links on Twitter never even clicked on the links to read what was in them.
Don't forward until you fact check. Pause before you post or share on social media.
Triangulate the information. Can you verify the information on other reliable sources?
Think laterally, fact check, verify, think critically.
Do your own research. Don't take someone else's word for it.
Do not just dig deep into the site you are reading. Find out at what other sites and resources say about the source you are looking at.
Go to fact checking websites like the ones listed on this page to make sure it is true and not a hoax.
Be aware of Photoshopped images. Be aware of deepfake videos.
Conduct a reverse image search.
Look and the images in the background. How are people dressed, look at the architecture, street signs, the sky, the time of day, text on signs.
Conduct a Whois Lookup search to find out the owner of the domain name.
If you see a friend share a blatantly fake news article or website, be a friend and nicely tell them it is not real. Your friend may not know it is fake.
Use these visual thinking strategies. Think about:
Use these five step checklist to verify an image provided by First Draft.
Why do you need to be aware of your online "filter bubble"?
The internet is being customized to each individual. Search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc.) results and news feeds are different for each user because search engines, news feeds, and websites track an individual's demographics, clicks, opinions, "friends", and interests. Your search history data is put into algorithms used by search engines. Then, when you search, they only provide you with search results and information they think you want to see. This "filter bubble" may distort your research because it limits the information you see. You may only see one side of an issue which may lead to confirmation bias. Filter bubbles will only show you information you agree with instead of showing you information from all sides.
How can you avoid your filter bubble when you are researching using the internet? Be constantly aware of your filter bubble. Search for information from all sides of an issue. Use the online research databases provided by the TRHS LMC instead.
Professional fact checking websites investigate stories that are circulating online or in other media and find out if they are true or not. Click here to see a list of fact checking websites that follow the International Fact-Checking Network Code of Principles.