REVEALING RED FLAGS IN SOCMEDS

At one moment, a triggering claim made you stop scrolling...

The next second you find yourself sharing it at the peak of your emotions...

As hours passed, it reached hundreds of your friends, and they reacted the same way without knowing if it was factual or not.

Notice how instant information reaches us, how fast it can consume our emotion and cause us to act without careful thinking. This is the paradox of our time. We now live in a world with faster access to information but our time and capacity to digest everything are slower. The more sources are available, the less chance we will check their credibility.

In this crucial time, the Covid-19 virus might not be our greatest enemy but the pandemic of misinformation and disinformation.

Our freedom to be rightfully informed is heavily tainted by propagandists who use the disadvantages of media for their own benefits. Many people unaware of these tactics become their willing victims. To build a defense by increasing media literacy, Vera Files, a media non-profit that probes Philippine issues and misleading claims shared a three notable ways on which an ordinary person like us can fact-check information.

First, we should start getting into the habit of questioning the claims we see.

Because we all have pre-existing biases before we even consume news we see online; we tend to believe information that reflects it even if it is factual or not. What is dangerous in this behavior is we become prone to prefer comforting lies than accepting inconvenient truths.

For Vera Files, this is Confirmation Bias that chains us from the defense we need. To think critically, we need to look from a higher angle where we can see different sides and a wider context. Therefore, the next time we are automatically appalled at some posts, say, about a politician we oppose, take a moment to ask these 3 questions to yourself.

Who is behind the information?

What is the evidence?

What do other sources say?

When fact-checking a statement either from a public figure we already know or someone we are unfamiliar with, it is significant to verify it. Remember how technology nowadays works magically and produces fake photos of well-known individuals with quotes in a bid to spread hate campaigns and more. Note that we can find their first-hand statements on their official websites, social network accounts, press releases, press conferences, media briefings, and interviews.

Second, we need to triple-check the sources.

What makes us vulnerable to fake news is our failure to notice the subtle red signs of fact-like statements. We need an ample amount of effort to study and determine the most effective method for evaluating digital information according to the Stanford History Education group. It is called Lateral Reading where we search for information about the source while reading the post. This is how we check for authority, accuracy, relevancy, and purpose by understanding what the other sites tell about our source. Vera Files presented six important things to consider in checking these sources:

First, we should look at the URL of the website. Check if any of the: .gov, .gov.ph, or .edu.ph is present at the end of the link which is included in all official websites. The absence of these on a page or site that appears to be legitimate is a huge warning sign.

Second, details ABOUT the page, its purpose, and how it is presented says a lot about its accuracy. We should point out if it is missing, or when present, if it is grammatically incorrect.

Third, verify the CONTACT US section of the page. Be sure that it is present, working, and not copied from other websites. Be aware that there are suspicious contacts that ask for the inquirer’s information instead.

Fourth, notice the NAME of the page. If it claims to be official or owned by a public figure, the blue check must be present signaling that it is a verified account.

Fifth, check the DATE if the page was created recently or if the NAME was changed over time. It is a great sign of suspicious behavior or intent of the page.

Lastly, scan the CONTENTS or the PATTERN of posts to understand if it has a political leaning or bias.

Applying these SIX ways in our daily life, we get to uncover the dangerous spots we did not know, or we often overlook. This is also a great reminder not to depend on the number of likes or followers. It is the common misconception that the higher the interaction of a post means higher credibility that people must wake up from, Vera files reporters explained

Third and last way, knowing how to fact-check is only the first step. Sharing this knowledge with people within your area of influence can give them the media literacy that they need to spot misleading information moving forward. However, it is not done in an aggressive or degrading manner. According to Media Wise, people tend to accept people they know than someone they do not. Therefore, the next time we encounter fake news from our family or friends, do not hesitate to fact-check them in a friendly way.

In conclusion, the goal of disinformation succeeds when we fail to notice the warning signs and when we let our emotions take over our ability to think critically. By questioning what we see, taking our time to check sources, and sharing what we learned effectively, it is possible for an ordinary person to spot and reveal the red flags in the media. With the right effort and literacy, we are all geared up in this battle where knowledge is power.