How to Fact Check on the Internet

The wonder of the Internet is that it levels the playing field for everyone. With that comes the uncertainty of the information that anyone with a computer is allowed to disseminate. Fact checking is commonplace in the journalism industry. That skill set is now valuable to anyone who needs sound information. Fact check information on the Internet using the following checklist.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Find fact checker sites. Currently, these exist mostly for political information. Typing in a fact checker on any search engine will bring up a variety of checking tools. Search until the appropriate site is found.
2. Go to the library. It may sound old school, but the library is still a very viable tool for research. Get a library card and get into the card catalog at the local library. Search for the topic of interest to compare to the information found on the net. This will help to build a comfort level with information on a particular web site.
3. Contact the author. Sometimes honest errors are made. A friendly email to the author stating issues with a particular piece of information may have surprising results. Remember with the Internet, correcting information online takes minutes. This helps everyone involved.
4. Research multiple mediums. Check newspapers and tv to evaluate the truth of any information found on the net. Often newspapers provide more in depth investigation of many topics.
5. Use common sense. Play devil’s advocate with any information that is found on the net. If it sounds unlikely, do more research. Read more blogs. Search government, private and public outlets. Look for any information that supports or contradicts existing statements.

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