There are numerous posts on social media related to COVID-19. But, how reliable is the information that we're seeing shared by friends, family, colleagues, and organizations in our networks?

Prepare for This Week's Challenge

Whenever you encounter new information online, especially information that makes you feel strong emotions like surprise, anger, or fear, your first move should be to stop.  Take note of the source. Have you heard of the website? Is it a news publisher you recognize, one with a reputation for trustworthy coverage? If not, you'll need to take further steps to assess the information.

If you want to do a deep dive, check out Sifting Through the Coronavirus Pandemic from digital information literacy expert Mike Caulfield. We'll be following Caulfield's 4-move SIFT methodology throughout the challenge. This week, we're focusing on Stop and Investigate the Source.

Need more help with identifying "fake news"? The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has a resource available in multiple languages here.

SIFT Infographic by Mike Caulfield is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Your Challenge: Determine Which Articles Posted on Social Media are Accurate (or Not)  

1. For each of the posts below, stop and take note of your emotional reaction to the content.
2. Identify the source--Look for logos, authors, and publisher or account names.
3. If you aren't familiar with the source or don't trust it, open up a new tab in your browser and investigate. What are people saying about this source? Is it trustworthy?
4. Based on your findings, determine if the coverage is true or false, then click the Submit button to complete your answer. Note: This quiz is anonymous.
5. Click on "View Score" to see what you got right and wrong, and get feedback on the answers. 

Further Resource