Editor-DN
The rise of misinformation and fake news has been the biggest challenge for the online media industry, especially social media. To combat this threat, social media websites have used tools such as community notices to ensure that users are not misinformed. However, it’s seeing a reversal with Meta — which runs Facebook, Threads, and Instagram — announcing it will shut down its fact-checking program in the U.S. and allow “free expression.” will move to a crowdsourced model. This means users will no longer see warnings on posts flagged by other users.
As we transition to new social media policies where fact-checking takes a backseat, here’s a guide on how to verify news and avoid falling prey to fake information.
Think Logically: Before jumping into anything that is being shared online, users should assess how they feel about such information. If a post shows strong emotions like anger or fear, that could be a warning sign. Consumers should investigate further until they are sure it is true.
Don’t trust social media: Social media often becomes an echo chamber for fake news because it is less restrictive than traditional media. Don’t fall for a post just because it has lots of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’, and search for the truth independently. Check out previous posts from the respective account if they consistently share sensational information.
Don’t rely on AI for truth: Don’t rely on AI bots used by Meta and other platforms to cross-check information. If one is using a Google search, one should go through the AI overview section and look for reliable sources such as reliable media outlets.
Find the original source: One should try to find the original source of the information. Aggregators like Google News and Apple News mostly get their information from original sources and can be better platforms for finding real news.
Use fact-checking sites: There are several fact-checking websites, such as FactCheck.org and PolitiFact, that analyze online information to determine whether it is true. Fact-checking by legacy media such as Reuters is also helpful in verifying information.
Ditch the algorithmic feed: Avoid getting information from auto-generated suggestions and algorithmic feeds. Create a curated list of trusted accounts instead, but still be careful before taking some information.
Use reverse image search: Fake news content often uses misleading and altered images. In the absence of any social media warnings, use reverse image search tools on Google Images or other platforms to verify or see context for such images.
