Have you ever heard or read something, and your first thought was
FAKE NEWS?
We have all been there!There is so much information out there in the world, and it can become a
fun little game we play where we try to deduce whether the source was your
mom's Facebook or an
actual reputable source.
The game is getting harder and harder, though, as more people fall victim to the lies and deceit that is
misinformation. Fact-checking is true investigative work. You cannot simply trust anything — not even the official articles you read online.
Except for us … we are always factual! Listen up! media update's Alrika Möller is unmasking the secrets on fact-checking below. If you are trying to decipher whether
fact-checking is really needed, you might want to consider the following situation:
TikTok creator
George Mason, or
@GeorgeMasonTV, decided to test the content and publishing industry by writing a
wonderful article about the upcoming
Minecraft movie.
According to his article, actor
Pedro Pascal will be starring in the upcoming film.
This is all lies. Mason made it up! Pascal will
not be starring in the film, as the film does not exist —
at all. Mason even named himself as the director —because
it is good to dream big.
The article was sent to
multiple outlets and online publications that published it without even thinking twice —
that is to say, without fact-checking! The article made waves around the world and caused even more websites to pick up this
piece of fiction.
So, in order to prevent another confusing situation or cause people all over the world to get excited about something that is
not, in fact, happening, you might want to
check your facts.
How do you do that? I am glad you asked!
Check the publisher
Get your magnifying glass ready because this is a
great place to start your investigation.
If the
fact in question is published by a
reputable website or publication, you can sometimes assume that they did their
due diligence; however, if you don't know the website, you will have to
dig a little deeper.
It often helps to have a look at the website's
About Us page, as well as other pieces they have published in the past.
This will give you an idea of the
expertise and whether they have writers on staff who research and write or if they are
publishing anything from
some unknown guy on TikTok.
If you spend enough time on a website, you will also be able to pick up any
biases they might have. This will inform the type of
information they trust and, ultimately, publish.
Research the author
This might
sound obvious, but it is always a good idea to check
who wrote the article you are about to
believe with your whole heart.
Think of this as getting information on your suspects and witnesses — it's a crucial part of any investigation!
Some websites and publications are kind enough to provide you with some
extra information on the author of the piece.
If you can't find anything on the website itself, you will have to
do a deep dive. If you go onto
LinkedIn, you will be able to get some insights into the author's professional life.
Another great idea is to
Google them. It sounds simple,
I know, but Googling someone will reveal any other work they have published, as well as other platforms and social media accounts they use.
Look for other outlets to corroborate
Any time you read something
shocking, take the time to check if any other outlet or publication is reporting the same thing.
Every investigation needs witnesses who can
corroborate some stories and alibis.
Whether it is a
fun fact or a
breaking news story, more than one website will mention it if it is the truth. If no one else can verify it, it is
better not to trust it.
Breaking news is often
easier to verify as people talk about big current events on social media and news outlets will pick up the story.
Any information that is not, in fact, a breaking news story but rather something being
thrown around as a fact can be harder to verify. It will require some
investigation on your part.
Verifying can seem like
a lot of work, but it is always worth it when it comes to
writing,
reporting and
believing the truth.
Have you ever caught a piece of misinformation red-handed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Are you looking for more tips and advice on writing? We can be your one-stop shop! Check out these Five tips for editing your own writing.
*Image courtesy of Canva