More and more people are turning to the internet for news, but not every site is telling the truth. Before you take the news you read or images you see as truth, there are steps to vet it. The vetting process is really common sense.

1. Look at “who said it”. The site could fake a trustworthy source like the “Boston Globe” by calling itself the “Boston Tribune” (which doesn’t exist)
2. If it’s not backed up by fact, then it’s opinion
3. Ask what the evidence is and find a secondary source
4. Realize that emotions play a part in you being fooled, no matter your age
5. If you answer yes to “Do I want to believe this?” then you need to really dig into the topic carefully

Just be careful and check the sources. It’s one thing to not know your spreading misinformation, but misinformation without some research is another.

(Video courtesy of DW Swift)