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Today's News: Fact or Fiction: Spotting Fake News

What is Fake News?

According to the fact checking website Politifact, fake news is a "concerted effort by a website or other form of media to fabricate information in order to influence political opinion or win financial gain." Use this LibGuide to help you determine fact from fiction when reading the news or for finding credible sources for your research.

How to Spot Fake News infographic

Text description of How to Spot Fake News infographic for web accessibility

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has made this infographic with eight steps to discover the verifiability of a given news-piece in front of you.

  • Consider the source
  • Read beyond the headline
  • Check the author
  • What are the supporting sources?
  • Check the date
  • Is it a joke / satire?
  • Check your biases
  • Ask a librarian or consult a fact-checking site.

Video from FactCheck.org