When you land on an unfamiliar website, open a new tab. Figure out where the information is coming from.
- Google the author.
- Google the organization or its president.
- Wikipedia is actually really helpful in learning more about specific publications and blogs.
- If the article cites a source, go to the actual source to see if the claim is true.
It’s not about “About”
- If the site is trying to fool people, they can certainly make up a great “About” page.
Look past the order of search results
- Google does NOT put the most reliable results first; it puts the most linked-to results and paid ads at the top.
- Instead, look very carefully at URLs and abstracts.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the results page, or even to the second page.
Check the date
- The story may originally have been true, but is now falsely linked to a recent event.
Is this a joke?
- The source may be a satirical site. Go to the original, not just the Facebook post.
Check your biases
- Do you want to believe it because it confirms your feelings?
Consult the experts: