August 14, 2025

Real or Fake? Spotting Misinformation In The Media

Everyone sees the news. Whether on social media, the newspaper, or the television, we stay updated with what’s happening in the world. And trust me, a lot is going on in the world. With so much information, how can we tell good information from bad information?

Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation

Some kinds of information can be harmful. These fall roughly into three buckets:

• Misinformation – This is false information, but the person sharing it doesn’t mean to hurt anyone.
• Disinformation – This is also false, but it’s shared on purpose to trick or confuse people.
• Malinformation – This is partly true, but it’s changed or told in a way that can still hurt people.

How Can You Tell If News Is Real or Fake?

If you find yourself wondering if something you read in the news is fake or not, you can ask yourself these questions:

• Does it make you feel strongly?
• Is it taking sides on a hot topic?
• Is it an extraordinary claim?
• Does it contain clickbait? *Some headlines can be misleading to get more clicks
• Is it stretching the truth or leaving out some parts?
• Is it spreading to sites that don’t have credibility?

If you’re still not sure, do more research! Check different sources to see if it’s similar across different outlets. 

Fact Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

There are many sites to visit that can help you with fact-checking if you are unsure if something is true or not! Here are some sites to help you:

1. Politifact.com/
   1. A nonpartisan fact-checker, started in 2007 as an election-year project of the Tampa Bay Times, that focuses on “independence, transparency, fairness, thorough reporting, and clear writing.” 
2. FactCheck.org
   1. A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” started at the University of Pennsylvania, which aims to determine the truth of news put out by U.S. politicians. 
3. Snopes.com 
   1. The oldest and largest fact-checking site online that documents its sources so readers can decide for themselves, highly used by journalists, folklorists, and readers
4. OpenSecrets.org
   1. A nonpartisan and independent nonprofit that follows the money in American politics by providing comprehensive and reliable data, analysis, and tools
5. SciCheck
   1. A feature of FactCheck.org that focuses on only false and misleading scientific claims that are made by people who try to change laws or rules
6. NPR Fact Check
   1. An independent, nonprofit media organization, NPR (National Public Radio) was founded on a mission to create a more informed public.

The media is a powerful tool that can give both good and bad information. It is up to us to learn how to tell the difference, especially with how advanced AI has gotten. Good information gives facts, includes different voices, and tells the full story, not just the one that gets the most clicks or makes you feel a certain way. Always ask questions and think critically about the news we consume!