How to Spot Fake News: What’s Real and What’s Not

Fake information is everywhere online. The misinformation epidemic makes it challenging to spot fake info and distinguish it from false stories and claims, but it’s an excellent skill to learn. You can stop sharing false information with a few simple tips and some free fact-checking tools.

In this post, we’ll review simple ways to check if a story is accurate, and you’ll feel more comfortable online.

Why False Information

Fake news isn’t just annoying — it’s harmful. It often spreads due to its emotional appeal. False claims can spread quickly through social media, frequently misleading the public even after being debunked by credible sources. Fighting fake news means checking news sources and being aware of the misinformation epidemic. Misinformation, including false or misleading information, spreads fear and confusion and can lead people to make bad decisions. Misleading claims during significant events like the COVID-19 pandemic and political elections can amplify public confusion.

When people share fake stories, the confusion spreads faster.

Learning to spot misinformation helps you and the people around you. Plus, you’ll feel better knowing your sharing is true and trustworthy.

Maria’s Story: Checking Her Sources

Maria loves using social media to stay up to date on news. But a few months ago, she shared an article that went viral in her feed. She thought it was true, but it turned out to be fake, and her friends quickly told her. Mortified Maria decided to learn more about fact-checking before posting.

Maria now uses fact-checking tools and visits a fact-checking site to check the information. She looks at where the information comes from. Reviewing and verifying the supporting sources behind a story is key to accuracy and truth. She feels more comfortable sharing, and her friends trust her to share accurate information.

Maria’s story shows you can fall for fake news, but by following these simple steps, you can avoid it happening to you.

How to Spot Fake News on Social Media

Here are a few ways to check if a story is true or fake: The rise of social media and fake news sites has often made it easy to spread misinformation because of emotional appeal and engagement-driven algorithms.

1. Could you check the Source? Look at the website or person sharing the news. Is it a trusted source? Reliable news comes from established organizations like big news sites or official government pages. You can just be suspicious of false info that looks like real news.
2. Read Beyond the Headline: Headlines are meant to grab your attention but don’t tell the whole story. Please read the entire article to ensure it says what the headline says. Do a quick search on the author to check their credentials by looking at their bio, qualifications, and relevance to the topic.
3. Look for Evidence: Real news has facts, quotes, and source links. Fake news makes big claims with no evidence. Be wary of false claims and misleading information that lacks credibility and authenticity.
4. Check the Date: Old news is shared again as if it’s new. Check the date to make sure you’re reading current info.
5. Use Fact-Checking Sites: There are free sites that can help you determine whether something is true or not. We’ll show you a few below.

Free Tools to Check Facts on Fact-Checking Sites

Fact-checking doesn’t have to be complicated. These free tools make it easy to verify info before sharing:

• Snopes: One of the oldest fact-checking sites. You can search for rumors, stories, and claims to see if they’re true. (https://www.snopes.com/
• FactCheck.org: A nonpartisan site that checks news stories and claims, especially those related to politics. Suitable for determining if a story is true. (https://www.factcheck.org/
• Google Fact Check Explorer: This tool allows you to search for fact-checked info from multiple sources. Just type in a topic or keyword to see if it’s been verified. (https://toolbox.google.com/factcheck/explorer)

Use these to fact-check before sharing. You can always check the credibility of the info by looking at the sources.

Fact-Check for Yourself and Others: Acknowledge Your Biases

It’s good to know what’s true and what’s not. By checking sources, reading beyond the headline, and using free fact-checking tools, you can stop the spread of misinformation and keep your online presence trustworthy. Reflect on your own beliefs to see how they might influence your thinking. Acknowledge your own biases when reading news articles.

Want more tips on how to spot fake news? Sign up for our newsletter to get your free Misinformation Detection Guide and stay updated with regular digital literacy tips. Be aware of spelling errors in URLs or domain names, as they can indicate the credibility of a news source.