Fake News
Fake News
False news spreads faster than true news on social media, according to multiple studies. Artificial intelligence (AI) has turbocharged the spread of misinformation. Use these tips to protect yourself from lies and manipulation online.
Protect yourself from misinformation and other forms of fake news with these steps:
1. Slow down and take a second look. Watch for these red flags: 
- Purposeful evoking of outrage or other strong emotions
- No listing of the source of the picture or information
- Strange web address (example abcnews.com.co)
- Logic-defying pictures or text
2. Do a web search to find other sources for the story. But be careful! The web may have numerous sites that link to stories with the same misinformation. Research studies show that people who "do the research" about a false story may become MORE likely to believe it because their Google search retrieves low-quality results that reinforce the fake or misleading story. Unless you find the story on a trusted site, keep investigating.
3. Look up the story on a trusted fact checking site. (See recommended fact checking tools below.)
4. Find the original source of an image through Tin Eye or a Google image search.
5. Look for the story in a trusted news source or library database. (See tab for Reliable information sources.)
6. Use your own critical thinking skills. Is the story emotionally manipulative? Does this story really make sense?
6. Use your own critical thinking skills. Is the story emotionally manipulative? Does this story really make sense?
Tip sheets for detecting fake news
From the International Federation of Library Associations. Click image or here to download pdf.
- Ten Questions for Fake News Detectionfrom The News Literacy Project (pdf)
- Four Moves and a HabitUse the Four Moves to help discern truth when using the web. From "Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers"
Sort Fact from Fiction Online with Lateral Reading
Read the web like a fact checker with lateral reading. From Stanford History Education Group (3:47 minutes)
Fact checking resources
Save yourself some time and see if a professional fact checking service has already researched a suspicious claim. Here are some highly recommended fact checking tools.
- SnopesThe definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.
- AP News - "Not Real News"Associated Press weekly round up of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week.
- AFP Fact CheckFrance-based international fact-checking service, monitoring content in languages and regions around the world.
- FactCheck.orgFactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
- Fact CheckerFrom the Washington Post, "the truth behind the rhetoric."
- Politifact Truth-o-MeterNonpartisan project that evaluates the accuracy of claims made by US political officeholders, candidates, consultants, advisers, special interest groups, and pundits.
- PolitiFact en EspañolNonpartisan fact-checking in Spanish.
- Science FeedbackA not-for-profit organization verifying the credibility of influential claims and media coverage that claims to be scientific, starting with the topics of climate and health.
- Truth or FictionNon-partisan “mythbusting” website about urban legends, Internet rumors, “erumors”, e-mail forwards, and other questionable pictures or stories.
Source evaluation resources
Sometimes the fastest way to research a claim is to determine if the source (individual or organization) of that claim is trustworthy. Here are some tools for researching the reputations of individuals and organizations. If you can't determine the source of a claim, that in itself is a red flag.
- WikipediaYes, Wikipedia! This is the first stop for professional fact checkers. Follow the links for the original sources.
- Media Bias Fact CheckResource for determining media bias through research and consumer opinions. Media Bias/Fact Check also provides occasional fact checks, original articles on media bias and breaking/important news stories.
- AllSides.comLooks at the treatment of the same current news stories and issues from media sources considered conservative, centrist, and liberal. Helps readers identify bias and avoid polarization.
This work by PCC Library is licensed by Portland Community College under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.- Last Updated: Feb 11, 2025 2:11 PM
- URL: https://guides.pcc.edu/fakenews
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