There can be information in the lead up to elections which can sometimes be misleading. These stories are often on social media. If they’re not fact-checked, they can be shared thousands of times without anyone questioning whether they’re accurate and reliable.
Sometimes, you’ll be able to spot when something isn’t true. For example, ‘the Prime Minister admits they are an alien’ is likely to ring some alarms bells. But other misinformation or ‘fake news’ isn’t as easy to spot.
If you see a headline, a list of facts or an article on social media, check that it is reliable before sharing it with your friends.
How to fact check
You can fact-check by:
looking at where the information has come from.
Does the writer have a reason for saying something a certain way? Are they a known source of news, or have you never heard of them before? Is there a link to learn more?
finding another trusted source which confirms the information.
If a reliable news website is also sharing this information, it makes it much more likely that it is real
asking for more information.
If your friend shares information with you, ask where they found it and if they can send you any more information. Remember to be respectful
using a reliable, impartial and trusted fact-checking service.
There are a number of free fact-checking services online. Remember to do your own research on these sites too
Don’t let all of your research go to waste – remember to register to vote
