Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to check information
• Method 2 of 3: How to talk to a person
• Method 3 of 3: Providing Additional Sources
• Tips
• Warnings

We've all come across a post, meme, or article that has been republished by someone that seems false or misleading. The sad truth is that false information not only deceives people, but can actually do harm, especially when it comes to science or medicine. If you tell a person that the information they have posted is incorrect, they can remove it and thereby help stop it spreading. We will give you some tips on how to do this more efficiently.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to check information

1. 1 Always take potentially inaccurate information seriously. If your friend or family member shares an article or meme with false or misleading statements, don't brush it off! Inaccurate information, especially about science or health, can really hurt people. If someone you know forwards or posts it, try talking to them and you can help stop it spreading.
   • Your help in the fight against malicious information is really important.
   • Your actions can set off a positive chain reaction. For example, if your friend shared a meme with a false statement and you convinced him that it is a lie, he can convince his friends not to spread it too.
2. 2 Search the internet to see if this information has already been disproved. Briefly enter the information into the search bar of your browser and look at the search results. Look for articles or sites that discussed this fact or news. Read how they analyze this information to confirm that it is false.
   • A list of fact checking sites in different languages ​​can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fact-checking_websites. If necessary, use automatic translation: it is far from ideal, but it can give a general idea of ​​what you have written.
   • If you cannot find any more references to information on the Internet, this is a sign that it may be false or misleading.
3. 3 Look for quotes or picture statements to see if they are genuine. Pictures, photos and memes with quotes or data sometimes spread like wildfire across social media. When you see a picture like this, take a minute to check what it says. If a quote or piece of information is attributed to a specific person or source, double-check if they really said or wrote it.
   • People often trust memes with quotes from celebrities or professionals.
   • Also, be alert for misleading memes - say, where information is truncated and therefore distorted. For example, you may come across a quote from a famous doctor "It's hard to breathe in a mask", while in the original the phrase sounded like "It's hard to breathe in a mask for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."
4. 4 See if you can find similar information on other news sites. One of the simplest and quickest ways to validate an article is to check if the news has been covered on other media portals. If it is published in just one source, there is a high probability that the news is unreliable.
   • This is especially true for national or international events or news on major topics such as COVID-19. If a sensational news is published on just one site, it is most likely a fake. However, local and insignificant news can really only appear in a couple of sources.
   • Also, make sure the newsletter really comes from the source it is citing. Look for information on his official website. Perhaps it was not there at all, or it was distorted.
5. 5 Look for scientific or medical information from trusted sources. Always check science and health claims on trusted sites - the World Health Organization, the United Nations Foundation, and other reputable organizations. Refute false information by referring to what experts say.
   • Please be aware that some information may change over time.
   • If in a reliable source this or that fact is not mentioned at all, it can certainly turn out to be false.
6. 6 Do not repeat false information so as not to contribute to its dissemination. The more often people hear a false statement, the stronger its resonance, and the more likely they are to believe it - or worse, spread it further. Focus on collecting true facts and ignore false statements.
   • Even if you simply confirm the existence of such information, some may think that you are ready to admit the idea of ​​its truthfulness.
   • If you plan to publish a post or share a link to refute false information, write clearly and only talk about facts. If you write confused, verbose, or go into the details of every false statement you come across, people will just skip through your post without reading.

Method 2 of 3: How to talk to a person

1. 1 Try to have a private conversation. Ask the person if you can talk to him face to face so that you do not have to discuss inaccurate information on his page in front of everyone. Find a comfortable, quiet place where no one can hear you and the other person does not have the impression that you are threatening or attacking.
   • You can invite the person to a coffee shop or a park for a quiet conversation.
   • If you are surrounded by other people, try to pull the person aside and ask if he can spare you a minute.Move away from the others or go to another room to talk privately.
2. 2 Send a personal message to avoid embarrassing the person. If someone shares inaccurate information on a social network, do not rush to comment on his post, otherwise it will seem to him that you are attacking him in front of everyone. Instead, send a private message that no one else will see except you two.
   • The person can avoid feeling awkward and be more willing to listen to your new information if they don't feel like you are trying to humiliate them in front of others.
   • Personal messaging will allow you to speak more openly and frankly.
3. 3 Be diplomatic when correcting a person in front of others. If you are in the company of other people or on a public Internet forum, be polite and avoid confrontation when you tell the person that they have shared inaccurate information. Do not be rude or aggressive, otherwise the person will only get angry or upset and refuse to admit that they are wrong.
   • If someone really digs in and starts getting upset, let it go and try talking or messaging them in private so you can talk to them without other people around.
4. 4 Admit that you understand the person's fears or concerns to demonstrate empathy. People often share false information because it upset them, angered them, or even scared them. Try to start a conversation with the person with the fact that you consider their feelings or fears natural and understand them, especially considering how many lies and contradictions are circulating around. If you show that you are the same person and show understanding, you will have a better chance of convincing the other person that the information is incorrect.
5. 5 Concentrate on the facts and do not try to change the person's worldview. Fact checking can make a person feel differently about a question or statement, but it is unlikely to completely change his view of the world. When you tell a person that they are spreading false information, focus on the information itself, not on the person's beliefs or political views.
   • Research shows that fact-checking reduces the amount of misinformation about health being disseminated, but it may not change people's mindsets or worldviews.
6. 6 Use appropriate language depending on your relationship with the person. It is important to consider what kind of person your interlocutor is and what connects you with him. For example, if you are talking to your grandmother, be as polite and respectful as possible. If we are talking about a bosom friend, it is possible that friendly rudeness and light sarcasm will work with him. But whatever the manner in which you speak, be understanding and empathetic so that the other person knows that you have the best intentions.
7. 7 Do not insult or lecture the person. The person may refuse to listen to you or remain deaf to what they hear if you call him stupid or lecture. Remember that your goal is to convince the person that the information is wrong so that he stops spreading it. Show respect and empathy so that he is more likely to agree to listen to you.
   • Do not call people names or be rude to them, otherwise they will get angry and stop listening to you.

Method 3 of 3: Providing Additional Sources

1. 1 To destroy medical or scientific myths, turn to authoritative sources. When it comes to unreliable scientific or medical information, back up your words with the words of experts. Send the person a link to an article that refutes the information they posted so they can make an informed decision not to share it again.
   • Check with trusted sources such as the World Health Organization or the United Nations Foundation.
   • The more legitimate your sources are, the more likely the person will agree that their information is indeed wrong.
2. 2 Try to find a source that the person respects. When addressing a specific person, resort to the help of sources that he knows and considers reliable. Search these resources for articles that prove the information that he shared is false or false, and he is more likely to admit you are right.
   • For example, if your friend is following the news on a certain portal, find articles on it that refute the information she reposted.
3. 3 Submit information from multiple sources for more persuasiveness. If you want to send a person links to articles or other sources that refute the information, do not limit yourself to one or two. Refer to multiple sources that prove the information is incorrect. A couple of additional links can help you convince the other person.
   • At the same time, don't overwhelm the person with tons of articles. Refer to three or four so that he understands that different sources agree that the information he has disseminated is unreliable.

Tips

• Try to talk to the person about the inaccurate information posted as early as possible so that it does not have time to spread.
• If you managed to convince the person that the information he posted is false, suggest that he delete it so as not to mislead other users.

Warnings

• If you come across information that is racist, offensive, or violent, report it. Most social networks have the ability to report such posts. The information will be checked and, if found to be in violation of the platform rules, deleted.