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Fake News: Home

 

5 Ways to Spot Fake News:

  1. Look for unusual URLs.
    • If they end in .lo or .com.co, chances are they are not legitimate news sites.
  2. Dissect the layout.
    • Look for grammatical errors, incorrect dates, bold claims with no sources, and sensationalist images.
  3. Dig deeper.
    • Find out who wrote the article and who supports the site.
    • If this information doesn't exist or you have to register to get it, question why that's so.
  4. Cross-check.
    • Use fact-checking sites to confirm information.
    • See if other credible news sites are reporting similar news.
  5. Try a reverse image search.
    • If the same picture appears in unrelated stories, you may have a reason to be suspicious.

Fact Checking Links

The ABC Test

Use the ABC test to help you determine the credibility of a website.

Authority:

The source of the information

Who is the author, publisher, source, or sponsor?
What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
MOST IMPORTANT: Lateral Reading

Lateral Reading

  • Leave the website, open new tabs, and seek additional information about a website's credibility, reputation, funding, and potential biases.
  • Don't just rely on the information found on the website itself. Don't take their word for it. See what others have to say.
  • Lateral reading allows you to get a more complete perspective on the credibility of a source.

From Univ of Louisville Libraries Citizen Literacy Toolkit

Bias:

The purpose and point of view of the information

What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, to teach, to sell, to entertain?
Do the authors or sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
Are multiple perspectives included? 
What bias do you bring to the topic? Are you only looking for sources that confirm your current beliefs?

Be Aware of Confirmation Bias

"The first step in countering confirmation bias is to recognize it in ourselves. Then we can guard against it by getting our news from a wide range of credible sources, reading opinion columns from a variety of viewpoints, and including these varied perspectives in our social media posts."

From the News Literacy Project - "Don't Let Confirmation Bias Narrow Your Perspective."

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and recall information in a way that supports what we already believe. News Literacy Project

Currency:

The timeliness of the information

When was the information published or posted?
Has the information been revised or updated?
Does your topic require current or historical information?
Are the links functional? Do they take you to updated information sources?