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Evaluating News and Information Sources
How to Avoid Spreading Misinformation
“We live in a world with fake news being put out there. You don’t really know what to trust, and it’s a real danger to society.”
~ Austin Aries
When students use the internet as a research tool, teachers and professors insist on credible sources. The internet is not regulated or monitored for accuracy. Anyone with an internet connection can either contribute something useful to the global conversation or spread false and misleading information. The proliferation of misleading information and outright lies on social media and fake news sites with a clear political agenda has made the ability to evaluate the reliability of information more important than ever.
While reading for information or pleasure does not carry the same requirements as a college paper, you can still evaluate the information you are reading for truth and accuracy. This can help you avoid being tricked or spreading false information to other people. Exposing fake news starts with an awareness of what makes a source or story reliable.
Frequently, the only test people have for sharing a new story or meme on social media is whether the information conforms to their religious, political, or philosophical beliefs. However, merely agreeing with a news…
