"Whether you're looking at a massive snow storm in Russia , monkeys on the loose in St. Louis or the latest breaking news, these tips from MediaWise deputy director Brittani Kollar will help you sort through the noise and decide for yourself if what you're seeing is real. First, slow down. "Often false content is designed to be very catchy so you reply instantly," Kollar said. "Things may seem less plausible with a second view.""
"Make pausing a habit before liking, sharing or commenting. "That extra time is an easy way to avoid false content," Kollar said. And before you read or watch a post, try to skim and search to understand what you're engaging with. "It's much harder to get information out of your head once it's there than it is to avoid letting in to begin with," Kollar said."
Three simple strategies enable assessment of social media images and videos for authenticity. First, slow down and take a second look; false content is often crafted to prompt instant reactions, and a second view can reveal implausibilities. Second, check who is sharing the content and whether they have policies and a history of sharing factual information. Third, search to see whether reputable outlets report the same story or whether fact-checks debunk it. Build an information library by following credible sources, make pausing a habit before liking or sharing, and skim and search posts before engaging.
Read at Poynter
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