Suggested Online Courses for Media Literacy
How to spot
Fake news
Consider the source
Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.
Check the author
Do a quick search on the author in Google and Linkedin. Are they credible? Are they even real?
Check the date
Reposting old stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.
Beware of clickbait
Content of this type uses eye-catching imagery of exaggerated and sensationalized news stories.
Read beyond
Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
Supporting sources?
Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story.
Check content bias
Does the news story inform you about all sides of the topic or debate?
Check your biases
Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgement.
Is it a joke?
If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and the author to be sure.
Do your research
Use fact -checking websites. Widen your news search to include more than one website.