Your Defense System

Run these checks before believing or sharing any news:

• Check the source — is the publication known and accountable, or one you have never heard of?
• Read past the headline — many fake stories have headlines the article itself does not support
• Look for named sources — "experts say" without names is a red flag
• Check your emotions — fury or terror is often the exact reaction the story was built to trigger
• Search elsewhere — if only one source is reporting it, be suspicious