Every day we are bombarded with all sorts of claims. This happens especially through social media. We receive a video (or link to one) and some text that makes some claims. How do we know what is the truth? I suggest seven easy steps.

First, we should all realize that there is no such thing as unbiased reporting. Every article/post will reflect the biases of the author. This in itself is not bad. What is problematic is when the author makes the claim of being unbiased. When this happens you know right away that there is dishonesty afoot and that the author is trying to blind you to his/her biases.

Second, we can all actually check the veracity of what is forwarded to us. There are a number of good fact checking sites that we can use to check for the truth of various statements. Most of these sites are not for profit. This means that the researchers are doing this on their own time and because they like doing it. So you may not get everything you want on a given site. If you cannot find anything on these sites, you can still look around. Identify not so common words in the post. String them together and add the word ‘hoax’ at the end and do a Google search. Very likely, if there is a hoax, you will reach a page specifying this.

Third, if the information in the post leads you to a public platform – Facebook, YouTube, or a blog – see if comments are enabled or disabled. If comments are disabled this is a strong indication that the person who posted the information does not want his/her loyal followers to hear any dissenting voices. This is a big red flag in my book.

Fourth, check the language in the post. If words seem strangely spelled then be careful. I’m not talking about spelling used in texting. I’m talking about words spelled without much contraction, but that are not quite right. So ‘deceit’ may be spelled ‘deciet’. Or my name ‘Deepak’ may be spelled ‘Dipak’ or ‘Deepk’. These tiny differences make it difficult to locate the original sources and the presence of such is an indication that the author is at least not concerned about details and at worse altering the details to make it difficult for you to verify the claims.

Fifth, does the post direct you to other authors? Now this may not always happen. It is especially unlikely if the post is short. But for lengthier posts, unless the post clearly states that it contains the views of the author, external sources should be used. Otherwise, it is a strong indication that the author does not want you looking beyond him/her.

Sixth, if the post contains links, what sites do the links take you to? Are these primary sources or secondary (or worse tertiary) sources? Primary sources are obviously best. You get the information straight from the horse’s mouth, as it were. For example, if you want to know what I think about some issue, it is best to ask me than to get it as hearsay from another person. And are the sites evidently biased in other articles/posts or is the material reasonably balanced? Unchecked biases are a warning flag. Be especially careful when you find yourself readily agreeing with something. It just might be the case that it is you who has the unchecked bias!

Finally, seventh, ask someone who might know more than you about the subject. None of us is the ultimate expert in any field. There are numerous people who know more than us. Actively look for such people in all fields that interest you. Many of them will be quite happy to talk to you about things they have devoted their lives to.

So there you go! Seven quite easy steps to mitigate against being led astray by fake information. All the best!