- There are websites dedicated to fact checking news, stories and rumours that have been shared online, as well as claims made by politicians, organisations and celebrities. These websites help explain whether or claim/story is accurate, misleading or false. They also explain the reasons why this is the case, and link to verifiable sources of information.
- Social networks also play a role in fact checking the content on their platform. Some networks label some social media content as being disputed by third party experts, which can help users be more critical when viewing that content. Many social networks also have tools for reporting content that may misinform. If misinformation has been used to promote hurtful/harmful belief or behaviour, then this can also be reported.
- There are challenges in fact checking personal opinions online, particularly if they relate to individual experiences rather than verifiable information. Sometimes it can be impossible to tell if a person is telling the truth, particularly in situations where it is one person’s word against another. There is also the possibility that someone genuinely believes what they are saying/sharing online, even if many others disagree.
Advice:
- Teach your students some strategies for fact checking information they encounter online:
- Check different online sources – comparing the information across three or more different websites to see if there is any consistency.
- Check offline sources – does the information/story appear in the news or media on TV, radio or in print. Can the information be found in a book?
- Check with someone – ask a trusted adult for a second opinion.
- Encourage your students not to take information and stories online at face value – it is important to be critical and not to assume that all information is accurate or true, even if it comes from a trusted source. Social networks can’t flag every single post or conversation that may contain disputed information, so remind your child that social media content that hasn’t been marked as disputed shouldn’t be automatically trusted.
- Teaching your students how to use search engines effectively can help them find accurate information more easily. Discussing how to select and use keywords for searching, as well as how to decide which search results to click on and explore further are important skills to promote.
- Remind your students that sometimes it can be impossible to be certain if something online can be trusted or not – people will always have differing views and opinions, and sometimes there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer.
- Look for opportunities to regularly discuss online information and trust – stories that appear in the news and popular or trending topics on social media can provide a good way in to talking with your students about what they believe online, who they trust to give them accurate information and ways they know to check the accuracy of what they see or hear online.