Every news story has a source: a website, a newspaper, a social media account, or a YouTube channel. Try to figure out where it comes from and who’s behind it. Is it a reliable institution? A well-known news outlet? Or an anonymous blog? The way a news story is published and shared says a lot about its origin, and should give you the context you need to assess its credibility.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

Behind every piece of content there’s a person, even if they aren’t always visible. If you can, look up the author’s name. Do they have experience with the topic? Have they written other articles? Do they work for an organization? Knowing who they are and their background can help you better evaluate what they say. And if you can’t find the person’s name, remember that this, too, is important information: it’s a sign of poor quality.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

News stories that evoke strong emotions – such as fear, anger, and outrage, but also enthusiasm, emotion, and sadness – attract more clicks and shares. But emotional content isn’t always accurate. If something immediately catches your attention, take a moment to think about it: is it really informing you, or is it just trying to provoke you?

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

Many news stories try to appear credible by citing data, research, and prominent names. But simply mentioning them isn’t enough: you also need to verify whether they actually exist and whether they really claim what’s being reported. A quick search is all it takes to figure out if a source has been fabricated or if a piece of data has been manipulated.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

We tend to trust people who present themselves as specialists or scientists. But it’s important to ask whether that person truly has the expertise to speak on a certain topic. Do they have the proper training? Are they recognized by the scientific community? Appearances can be deceiving: we need facts, not just titles or a confident tone.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

In science, it’s certainly true that unity is strength – and also that one swallow does not make a summer. The consensus of many independent studies reinforces a scientific thesis, while a single study rarely calls the shots. If a claim is based on a single, outlier opinion, it warrants further investigation. Even in the midst of an open debate, it’s helpful to know what the prevailing views are among those who are truly experts in that field.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

Every piece of information has a context – and often an underlying interest as well. It’s worth asking yourself: who stands to gain if I believe this news story? Could there be a financial, political, or ideological gain involved? Tracing the thread of these interests helps you better understand why a news story is reported in a certain way.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

A news story can be false even if it doesn’t contain any explicit lies. All it takes is taking a photo out of context, cutting a sentence short, or omitting an important detail. These manipulations make the content misleading, even though it’s based on true facts.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.

Sometimes the headline promises one thing, but the article is about something else. Or the information in the text doesn’t hold together. Consistency between the headline and the content, between the various paragraphs, and between the claims made and the sources cited is a good sign. If something feels off, it probably is.

Want to learn more? Watch this in-depth video.