How do you know what news is true?

How do you know what news is true?

AARP Bulletin for July and August listed ten suggestions:

1. Who wrote it? No author, be cautious. Google the name of the one who wrote it. You may learn enough to tell how credible the writer is.

2. Does the headline grab you? Then read the article to see if the headline is actually backed up by what is in the article before sharing or liking it. Note the source and be wise about dealing with future articles from that source.

3. Most writers are affiliated with some "source," an agency, news outlet, research firm, etc. It is good to know what the source is and as much about it as you need to know regarding its credibility.

4. If the article urges immediate action, be sure the writer and source and funding mechanism are legitimate. Some urgent action calls are not legitimate and when clicking forward at the urging sometimes leads you into sales or fraud situations about which you were not warned.

5. Facebook and some other social media now provide a "blue shield" or symbol next the source or "owner" of the account to confirm it is authentic. Be cautious if that symbol is not included on the page.

6. Pictures can be photoshopped. So to be sure the picture is not disinformation, "drag and drop" the picture into Google Image to see if it finds another picture that had been been altered.

7. If the story is true, it will also be carried on other media and sources. If your source is the only one carrying it, be cautious about passing it on.

8. Legitimate sources are usually properly spelled and formatted. Fake accounts misspell or use odd wording or provide inaccurate history.

9. Check the date of the article. If an old article or picture is posted implying it is contemporary, be cautious about its news value. The date of the original article is usually on it. If not, Snopes and other fact checking sources can let you know if it is news or not.

10. Is it news or opinion? News answers the questions about when, where, what happened, how, and why. Opinions contain only enough to try to persuade you about something. Know the difference between fact and opinion. Do not pass on an opinion as a fact or as news.

I do not always make sure about things I feel strongly about. I mean to and most of the time, if I do not know the source, I use almost all of the above techniques (I don't use the picture googling yet) all the rest of the time. Now you can check my posts for authenticity as well as those you are tempted to share.