12 point checklist to consider before sharing any piece of content online

Smart citizens have a responsibility to stop the spread of fake news. This calls for the need to inform themselves with the facts and be sure they are not spreading false information. From our webinar we created a checklist to help you verify information online.’

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

1. If a piece of content gets you so angry or excited, then you should probably take a second look and scrutinize it
2. Check multiple media channels, including government platforms and journalist handles to verify the information.
3. Do a quick google search to see whether a certain word or person is trending that will help inform you whether it’s right or wrong
4. Verify the originality of the content be it images, videos of even articles
5. Look at the context in which a piece of content is being shared, is it the full truth or did they pick out a few parts of the content
6. Look at the dates on the content, whether it is up to date or obsolete
7. Follow the “No harm policy”, before you share anything ask yourself whether it will harm anyone in any way, if it does then you probably shouldn’t share it
8. Most fake news articles front sensational or alarming headlines, so always go beyond the headline and read at least a paragraph of the article
9. Look at the author’s background, carefully look through their previously published articles or check their Wikipedia pages to ascertain whether they are credible
10. Use tools like Google’s reverse tool to verify where the images were published first and where they were taken from
11. Always check out websites that do verify fake news and debunk them these include Pesa Check and Africa Check
12. Take time and choose your own trusted source of information, be it a media house, blog, journalist, government official as it could help you verify information

This post was first published by the Digital Human Rights Lab