Spotting Misinformation Online Checking Claims, Images and Sources

False and misleading information has always existed, but the internet has changed how fast and how far it travels. Understanding why helps you to resist it.

Researchers distinguish between misinformation, which is false information shared without intent to mislead, disinformation, which is deliberately false and designed to deceive, and information that is technically true but misleading, such as a real image with a false caption. Most people who share false material do so because they believe it, or because they think it matters, and not because they wish to deceive.

Several factors help falsehoods to spread. Social media algorithms tend to amplify content that attracts strong reactions, and shocking, surprising or angering material often does. People are more likely to believe and share claims that fit what they already think, a tendency known as confirmation bias, and they are also influenced by what their friends share. Repetition can make claims feel true, and a story that is simple and emotional usually beats a complicated and accurate one. Speed is also a factor, because many people share before they have read beyond the headline.

Nobody is immune. Intelligence and education do not protect against being misled, particularly when a claim touches on identity, fear or hope. The best defence is a set of habits, practised until they become automatic.

You do not have to investigate everything. A short, repeatable method is enough for most situations.

One well-known approach, developed by the digital literacy educator Mike Caulfield, is summed up by the word SIFT. Stop: pause before you share or react, particularly if the content makes you feel strongly. Investigate the source: who is behind this, and what is their track record and interest? Find better coverage: look for other, more reliable reports of the same claim. Trace the claim, quote or media back to its original context, to see whether it has been altered or taken out of context.

Fact-checkers use a technique called lateral reading. Instead of staying on a page and trying to judge it by how it looks, they open new tabs and search for what other sources say about the site or the claim. A professional-looking website can be completely unreliable, and an unfamiliar one can be perfectly sound, so check outside the page.

Read beyond the headline. Headlines are written to attract clicks, and the article beneath may say something different, or nothing at all about the claim. Check the date, because old stories are often recirculated as if they were new. Be wary of screenshots of posts, tweets and articles, which can be faked or edited.

Not all sources are equal, and learning to judge them is the core skill of reading the internet well.

Ask who is behind the information. Is it a recognised news organisation with editorial standards and a corrections policy? A government body, a university or a professional organisation? An individual with relevant expertise? An anonymous account? Look for an About page, named authors and contact details, and check whether other reputable sources cite them. Consider the motive: is the source trying to inform, to persuade, to sell something or to attract clicks?

Check the evidence. A reliable source usually explains where its information comes from, links to original documents or research, and distinguishes between fact and opinion. Be wary of a single study reported as a breakthrough, because science progresses through accumulated evidence, and individual results are often preliminary. Be wary of anonymous experts and unexplained numbers.

Trust is not all or nothing. Even reliable sources make mistakes, and the best make corrections. It is more useful to ask how reliable a source is on this subject than to divide the world into trustworthy and untrustworthy. For health information, the NHS website is a dependable source in the UK. For consumer claims, independent organisations such as Which? can help.

Images and videos feel like proof, which is why they are so powerful in misinformation. They are also easier than ever to fake or misuse.

The most common form of image misinformation is not sophisticated fakery but misuse: a real photograph or video from one place or time presented as being from another. A reverse image search, available through tools such as Google Lens and TinEye, lets you upload a picture or paste its address and see where else it has appeared and when. If a supposedly new photograph of a current event turns up in articles from years ago, you have found a problem.

Artificial intelligence can now generate realistic images, audio and video, and clone voices from short recordings. Some signs of AI-generated images include odd details in hands, teeth, text, jewellery and backgrounds, a glossy, too-perfect look and inconsistent shadows, but these are becoming harder to spot and cannot be relied on. A better approach is to check context: who published it first, is it reported by reliable news organisations, and does it make sense? Some platforms and cameras are adding labels or content credentials to show how an image was made, which is a helpful development, though not universal.

Be especially careful about audio and video of public figures that are shocking or out of character, and about calls and voice messages that sound like someone you know but ask for money or secrecy. Use a second channel to check, such as calling the person back on a number you know. Families can agree on a safe word for emergencies.

Some kinds of misinformation do more harm than others. Health, money and politics deserve extra care.

Health misinformation can be dangerous. Be sceptical of miracle cures, claims that doctors do not want you to know something, testimonials in place of evidence, and products that claim to treat many unrelated conditions. Check claims against the NHS website and other reputable health organisations, and speak to a pharmacist or GP before changing treatment. Social media influencers who sell supplements or treatments have a financial interest.

Money-related misinformation includes fake investment opportunities, celebrity endorsements that are not genuine and promises of guaranteed returns. These are often scams, as discussed in the ebook on spotting scams and fraud. Check the Financial Conduct Authority's warning list, and be very wary of any opportunity that urges you to act quickly.

In politics, strong feelings make us vulnerable. Be wary of claims that confirm your views too neatly and of quotes without sources, and check them using reputable fact-checking organisations such as Full Fact and BBC Verify in the UK. Look at how different outlets report the same event. Recognise that reasonable people disagree on values and priorities, and that not every disagreement is a matter of true or false.

The aim of checking information is not to trust nothing. It is to place trust where it is earned.

Share carefully. If you are not sure that something is true, do not share it. If you discover that you have shared something false, say so, and delete or correct the post. Most people respect honesty. When a friend or relative shares something that you believe is false, respond gently and privately where you can, and share a reliable source without humiliating them. Public arguments tend to harden positions, and people are more open to correction from someone they trust.

Beware of the opposite mistake. Constant suspicion that nothing can be believed is also a victory for those who spread falsehoods, since it leaves people unable to tell the difference. A great deal of information is reliable, and good journalism, scientific institutions and public services continue to do valuable work. Build a small set of sources you have good reason to trust, and use your checking skills for the rest.

Look after your attention. Constantly consuming news, particularly alarming news, can affect your mood. Choose a few trusted sources, check them at set times and take breaks. Be curious and open to changing your mind when you meet good evidence.