It’s always better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission, the saying goes. This is false and detrimental when it comes to sharing information without first fact-checking to see whether or not it’s true.
Always check before you share information. You never know how far it may go.
A recent study commissioned by Zignal Labs found that while 61% of Americans will interact with or share an article posted by a friend on a social media site, 86% also admit to not always fact-checking the news they read on social media. That means it is the norm to share information rapidly – both on social media, and by extension in conversation – without first making sure it’s true.
You can do your part to stop this trend by fact-checking articles before you spread the news. It’s a lot less simple than simply clicking “like” or “share” or bringing it up as fact in conversation, but going the extra length to fact-check information is integral to building responsible information dispersal habits in a world with rapid communication technology.
First, run a search engine search on the news source and the author of the article in question. You can include keywords like “reliable” and so forth. Then, run a search on key elements of the article in question to see what other news sources have to say about the issue. Then, run a search engine search of that news source and article to make sure the source checks out. Vetting both the information and the source are vital to verifying the information.
Don’t just spread a story if you agree with it. Remember, a good writer will resonate with you whether or not the information is true. Always fact check, and if an article doesn’t check out, it’s worth it to report the post, comment about its validity, or message the friend who posted it in private to share what you have learned.