We can literally access all of the knowledge in the world thanks to the internet. Unfortunately, a lot of the content we come across online is either completely incorrect or riddled with errors. These three methods will help you make sure the content you’re reading online is authentic.
Use trusted sources
If anything seems too good—or too crazy—to be true, it most likely is. For instance, if you come across something shocking in a social media post, see if any of your reliable news outlets have reported on it.
Put news websites you frequently visit in your favorites. In this manner, you may be sure that you’re being led to the correct site. Verify the spelling of the URL if a link is directing you to a website. Additionally, reliable websites will display “https” in the address bar and a lock icon, signifying that they are safe.
Finally, determine whether the story is up to date. Though the information is out of date, old news stories occasionally reappear.
Don’t get baited
Editors utilize headlines as a crucial tool to grab readers’ attention, but frequently, they don’t convey the entire narrative. In order to fully understand an article, it is usually advisable to read it from beginning to end rather than drawing conclusions based solely on the headline.
Additionally, you should be mindful of spoof websites that purposefully mimic the appearance and feel of legitimate news websites. For example, The Onion, a U.S.-based website, publishes amusing news pieces that some people mistakenly share as legitimate news. The Beaverton is the name of the Canadian equivalent.
Check the source
Wikipedia and similar websites may appear to be reliable sources, but content on less well-known subjects is unlikely to be well checked.
Snopes.com is an excellent resource if you’re attempting to determine whether anything is real or fake news. The site’s editors have been evaluating photos and articles for 30 years using strict fact-checking guidelines before classifying them as true or false, or as inaccurate if the accuracy cannot be confirmed.
Keep in mind that librarians are skilled researchers if you’re conducting research for a project or class. If in doubt, get advice from your local librarian regarding further reliable internet sources of information.
Online misinformation can be dangerous, but you can prevent it by analyzing the content’s quality, verifying the source, and cross-referencing facts. Although the internet offers a wealth of information, not all of it can be trusted. Through the development of a critical thinking and skeptical habit, you can increase your confidence in the news that you share and consume.
Learn more about how to spot fake news at: https://newscanada.com/en/3-ways-to-weed-out-fake-news-139836
Reference: https://newscanada.com/
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