let's say you're scrolling through facebook and oh look another shocking headline so shocking that it must be false but this time it kind of looks true you're not alone if you've had this dilemma here's how to spot fake or misleading information online for posts that link to a website first check what the website's domain is dot edu and dot gov are generally considered to be trustworthy when it comes to news articles check what news outlet the information is coming from is it from a well-known and trustworthy source if you're skeptical the easiest thing to do
is search for the same story elsewhere if other reputable outlets have covered it the story is more reliable oh but please don't forget the onion is satire when vetting posts it's also important to check the date that the article or tweet was first published headlines can sometimes appear to be relevant but the actual story or tweet is outdated or out of context and therefore misleading for posts by individual users look to see if that user has a blue check mark next to their name a check mark means that facebook and twitter have verified the account
is run by a real person or organization that matches the username verified check marks shouldn't be your sole indication that the information is accurate it's important to combine all these steps together to be able to make the best judgment and lastly if you're unsure about information you see on your social media at the very least don't repost it sharing information that you can't confirm is true will only make you part of the problem
