Checking sources online

Maria is scrolling through her social media. - Have you heard? You thought it was round? The Earth is flat! Check out my new pants! Discount today with this code...

She ate fruit. You WON’T BELIEVE what happened next! The media lies - only this site writes the TRUTH... - Thanks to the internet anyone can find information about almost anything. When you search for information you can usually find something in just a fraction of a second. But… how do you know that the information really is correct?

Anyone can make a website, and write whatever they want. Some sites, such as newspapers, authorities, and organisations, have editors who are responsible for what they publish online. This gives a certain amount of control over the content. But mistakes can sometimes still be made. Most web pages however, have absolutely no one checking what is published.

Some sites even make money by writing things that are so provocative that a lot of people click on their links. The information on these sites spreads quickly, goes viral; the pages are often misleading, or hugely exaggerated. Other pages want a party or a political viewpoint to seem like the best. There the information can be distorted: biased. Biased information can also be based on religious or economic interests.

It’s important to be attentive, and ask yourself what the person who created the information is trying to achieve. Especially if you agree with the source, it is important to check it. Even if someone has a good intention, they might be spreading distorted or misleading information. Someone perhaps might care about the environment and animals, and therefore claim that a certain diet is healthier to eat. The intention is good, but the information might still be wrong. [...] So how do you check information you find online?

You can ask a few questions: Who is behind the source? Is it an authority, a company, or an individual? Is it someone who knows a lot about the subject? Why has the source been created? To inform?

To convince you about something? Or to sell you a product or service? Was the page created to entertain? Is it a joke where something is exaggerated: satire? Is the source trustworthy?

Is the writer really who they claim to be? Does the information still hold true, or has it changed? Did the source get the information from somewhere else, or is it the original source? Are there political or economic interests involved? Are there any other sources that say something different?

And how trustworthy are they? ... Look closely at the actual webpage. Does the site have contact information? If there is no way to contact the website owner, you should be careful. Look for how recently the page was updated.

Do the links still work? Are there any credible sources mentioned? What might be most important is to check whether you can find similar information in other places. If there are sources that say something completely different, that also seem credible, then look further. Be careful that not all of your sources have got their information from the same place. [...] Thanks to the internet, we have amazing possibilities to check any information we find, and practice source criticism: compare information from other sites, reports, articles, or books.

As long as we are critical, and check our sources, the internet is a fantastic tool to find answers, more information, or a new perspective on something. Surf on, Maria.