Guide
How to spot misinformation: a 6-step checklist
False and misleading stories spread faster than corrections, often because they make us feel something strong. A short pause and a few checks protect you and the people you share with.
1. Pause when you feel strong emotion
Anger, fear and outrage are what misleading content is designed to trigger. If a post makes you want to share instantly, that is the moment to check.
2. Check who is behind it
Is the publisher real, with a track record, an "About" page, named authors and a corrections policy? Look at the web address carefully: lookalike domains imitate real outlets. Be wary of anonymous accounts and pages created recently.
3. Read beyond the headline
Headlines are written to get clicks. The article may say something quite different, or nothing to support the claim. Check the date too: old stories resurface as "new".
4. Find the original source
Does the story link to the actual study, document, video or statement? A screenshot is not a source. Search for the quote or claim to find the earliest version.
5. See what others report
If something big happened, several independent, reputable outlets will cover it. If only one site or one social account has it, be careful. Fact-checking organisations (such as the International Fact-Checking Network members, Snopes, Reuters Fact Check, AFP Fact Check) may already have examined it.
6. Check images and video
Use a reverse image search (Google Lens, TinEye) to see where a photo first appeared. Images can be old, edited, AI-generated, or from a different place or event. Watch for odd details and mismatched audio in video.
Common tricks
- Out of context: real image or quote, wrong time or place.
- Cherry-picked numbers: true figures that leave out the bigger picture.
- Fake experts: "a scientist says" without a name or credentials.
- Satire taken seriously: check whether the site is a joke.
When unsure, do not share. Staying quiet costs nothing; spreading a falsehood can.