Find the Facts
Our online information environment is polluted with false and misleading information. With a few simple skills we can help stop its spread.
Our online information environment is polluted with false and misleading information. With a few simple skills we can help stop its spread.
People increasingly get news through online platforms, but with so much information from so many places, it can be difficult to know what to trust. Credible claims get mixed with all kinds of pollution — from misunderstandings to PR spin to conspiracy theories and more.
This matters because if we want to base our actions on informed opinions, we first need credible information. And for most of us, the truth is our digital media literacy skills haven’t kept up.
CTRL-F is a verification skills program designed to help you practice evaluating online information — whether you’re on YouTube, TikTok, a news media site, or somewhere else. The next pages will lead you through the three simple verification skills at the heart of CTRL-F. By the end, you will be an expert online verifier.
Jane works for BuzzFeed News and spends her days debunking hoaxes and reporting on false and misleading information so people can know what’s true.
Mike helps people to figure out what information is true or credible by breaking the process into quick techniques anyone can use.
Investigate the Source
Check the Claim
Trace the Information
First, click the below to learn more about the problem of information pollution and what we can do about it