TIPS FOR ASSESSING THE CREDIBILITY OF INFORMATION AND AVOIDING SPREADING FALSEHOODS

1. Check the credibility of a source: Always ask where the information is coming from- can you trust that it's true? Check to see of the source of a story is credible before passing it along to others.

2. Questions your reactions to things you see online:  Disinformation thrives on engagement-likes and shares-on social media platforms. Oftentimes disinformation is designed to cause an emotional reaction and encourage you to disseminate posts, even if they're false or misleading. Before taking the bait, question the credibility of everything you see, especially of you get the sense it might spark a sense of alarm in others. That might be the whole point.

3. Fact-check what you're reading: Not sure how true a story is? Run it through Google or another search engine alongside the terms "true', "false', or "hoax". You can also check out fact-checking websites as well as reverse image searches and video verification tools.

4. Check the captions of images and videos: Images, videos, memes, and other visual content can be intentionally miscaptioned or presented out of context to mislead. Consider the time and place of what you're seeing. If you're feeling like you want to go pro, try a reverse image search.

5. Distinguish between news and opinion: Some stories look like news but are actually opinion pieces. Is it news? Is it an opinion piece? Before hitting share or forward, consider the type of content first.

6. Take control of your digital experience: Regularly conduct scans of how and where you consume information. From social media? Directly from news outlets? Stay aware, diversify your news diet, and look to credible sources of information like professional news outlets, technical experts, or official sources where relevant.