Living in the modern era of technology allows for immediate unlimited access to the news. Media literacy is all the more important with false information being as prevalent as ever. Social media allows for misinformation to spread, and media literacy can prevent you from falling victim to the mass amount of fake news that circulates in the media.

What is media literacy?

Media literacy is the ability to critically analyze and assess stories that circulate in mass media to determine their accuracy. Media literacy is a tool that allows for the ability to distinguish fact from opinion. Media literacy cultivates critical thinking, creating more informed citizens.

How can you use media literacy to spot fake news? Media literacy can be used in a variety of ways.

Visually assess:

When looking at news stories, assess the site. Are there multiple ads and pop-ups? Do the images seem altered, stolen, or AI-generated? Does the design of the site seem amateur? These are all signs of fake news.

Look at the source:

If the article in question references anonymous sources, unreliable sources, or no source whatsoever, there is a good sign that it’s fake news. Additionally, when looking at sources, look at the website domain and URL. The site itself can be deemed as a credible source or fraudulent. For example, www.washingtonpost.com, is the original site, versus www.washingtonpost.com.co, which is the imposter.

Check yourself:

Fake news can be easy to fall prey to when they align with personal biases. Set personal biases at the door to prevent confirmation bias. Dig a little deeper and sleuth through the article to look for indications of fake or real news.

Check the date:

Events from long ago can be surged and twisted to fit a fake news article. Facts may be misconstrued and it is important to take heed of this when reading news articles.

Look for replication:

See if the story can be found on multiple credible sites to determine the validity of an article or news story.

Explore “About Us:”

When consuming media, look at the source and organization providing the information. Who is the author and publisher? Are they credible? This can help when determining the validity of news.

Question intent:

What was the author’s intention when publishing the story? Strong emotional reactions following consuming media could be created through the author’s bias. News stories should remain objective. Any story that intends to create a specific feeling from the consumer is likely fake news.

All these suggestions allow those who consume the news and media to engage with content through the lens of media literacy. Take time and pay attention to the details and question the sources. Look for unbiased and objective stories and media literacy is easily developed. Practicing these skills empowers individuals to have confidence in the information they engage with and allows for clarity which is essential in the day and age of mass media and technology.