Fake News: How to Spot Fake News

How to Spot Fake News

• Consider the Source - Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.
• Read Beyond - Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
• Check the Author - Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
• Supporting Sources? - Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story. 
• Check the Date - Reposting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.
• Is it a Joke? - If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure. 
• Check your Biases - Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment. 
• Ask the Experts - Ask a librarian or consult a fact-checking site. 

Infographic Source

It’s not just textual media that can spread misinformation. Photos and videos can be manipulated in a number of ways to trick you into seeing something that isn’t real.

• Alteration of photos and videos is becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to identify. Photoshopped images and deepfake videos abound on the internet. 
• Watch out for photos and videos that are being presented out of context. What was happening before and after the photo or video clip was taken? What was happening off camera? Visual media doesn’t always capture the whole story, so consider what isn’t being shown just as much as you consider what is.
• Ensure the photo or video is actually connected to the story. Just because a news article tells you that a picture was taken at a particular location or during a particular event doesn’t mean that it actually was. Do a reverse image search to see where else the photo shows up online.
  • Google Image Search
  • Tineye

• 5 strategies to tell if an image is fake

  Arizona State University ASU News Co/Lab explains ways to train yourself to recognize an image that’s been edited to mislead you.

• The hidden signs that can reveal a fake photo

  BBC's breakdown of how to spot fake photos.

• Is that video real?

  CNN looks at how to spot manipulated images and videos.

• Seeing isn't believing: The Fact Checker's guide to manipulated video

  The Washington Post's Fact Checker guide to manipulated video.

• When seeing is no longer believing: Inside the Pentagon's race against deepfake videos

  CNN's look into deepfakes and what the US government is doing to combat them.