Whether you are trying to complete an assignment, doing work research or even just cruising through social media, getting facts these days has become such a hard task
According to a 2021 report by Statista, social media is the least trusted source of news worldwide. In Kenya however, among other countries, more than 70% get news from social media, which is the number one medium for fake news. With all the advanced technology and advanced marketing today, how do you pick out facts and truths?
- Countercheck for multiple sources to see different variations of the same information.
- Go to formal sites and social media pages e.g. The leading news source of information in your country or region, government pages or organizations in the field that applies to that information, or if it is involving a company, the company’s websites or social media pages.
- Look out for real accounts when getting information. Look for blue ticks that show verifications in sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Be critical. Don’t believe information at first sight. Scrutinize images and texts well. Sometimes it’s easy to spot fake news by just how it is presented.
- Understand what fake news is, i.e. biased information, clickbait, incomplete information, satirical information. Being aware of the forms fake news takes is key in spotting them faster.
Remember, being a good steward online is all about sharing correct information, a huge step in countering fake news.
