HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU READ ON THE
INTERNET IS TRUE?

world-wide-web“It’s always true. You can’t put it there if it’s not true. I don’t think it’s a law, but I think you can get in trouble for putting it there if it isn’t true.”

“As a former-tabloid journalist, I was schooled in the art of never letting facts get in the way of a good story. We would develop stories based on rumors, gossip, and plain ideas, falling back on attributes such as “sources close said…” At the time it was fun and a valuable lesson in how to make something out of almost nothing. Looking back, I shudder to think how many lives we threw into turmoil.”

Best Answer: “The same way you know anything is true, you check the facts and do your research. You should always check more than one source for important information.”

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW

Primary Sources: Original materials that have not been altered or distorted in any way

Political: Remember that as passionately as you believe that you have carefully evaluated “the facts” and come to your conclusions, other intelligent people have also carefully evaluated the facts and come to the opposite conclusion

RESOURCES

Snopes

TruthOrFiction.com

UrbanLegends at About.com

HoaxSlayer

Quackwatch.org: Guide to quackery and health fraud

MimiWatch:  Facts and resources about multi-level marketing

PurPortal

Wikipedia

ALMOST PURELY POLITICAL RESOURCES

FactCheck.org:  Nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” from Annenberg – a traditional conservative family with conservative values

Politifact: Tampa Bay Times – liberal newspaper

Politifact Pundit Fact: Checks Sunday talk shows

OpenSecrets.org:  Nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy

RealClearPolitics.com:  Conservative site that does an excellent job of aggregating polling numbers

FAMOUS CONTROVERSIES

  • Aspartame
  • Climate Change
  • Evolution
  • Homeopathy
  • Media: liberal or conservative
  • Vaccination causes autism