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Before you share news, consider how trustworthy your source is

Before you share something you've seen on social media, open up your preferred search engine and do a quick keyword search to see what trustworthy sources say about the piece of information you're evaluating.

"If you don't see something reported by multiple news outlets, then it's probably time to just wait [before sharing]," said Hannah Covington, senior director of education content at the News Literacy Project.

When considering whether a news source is trustworthy, look for how it handles errors in its reporting. Trusting a source that makes errors might seem counterintuitive, "but actually correcting information when there's an inaccuracy is a huge sign of credibility," Covington told NPR.

Apply caution with information that has been translated from another language. A good translator requires knowledge of the language and the culture so the audience can discern whether the original message is meant to be satirical or ironic, said Laura Zommer, co-founder and CEO of Factchequeado.

If you receive a message on WhatsApp that's marked as "Forwarded" or "Forwarded many times," "be especially cautious, as this indicates that the author of the content is unclear and not the person who sent [you] the message," Zommer told NPR in an email.

For more tips on how to avoid spreading election misinformation, read the full article.

Copyright 2024 NPR

Audrey Nguyen
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