12:28 p.m. - 2020-08-17
INTERNET NEWS: A SKEPTIC'S CHECK LIST
The Internet makes a seemingly limitless amount of news and other information available to the reader, but it also makes the reader available to what is sometimes less than helpful news. The science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon once remarked that "Ninety per cent of everything is crap," a rule that should be kept in mind when skimming Internet news sources. Conspiracy theories, cherry-picked data, and misleading or outright false information are mixed together with legitimate news and analysis, and are not always easy to distinguish. Many of us mistakenly rely on news feeds that are built on algorithms based on our own tastes and prejudices, or rely on information provided by friends on social media. Here are a few things that are useful to keep in mind when reading on the Internet:

1. Author. An anonymous article should be a red flag at the outset. If the author is named, do a Google search for professional affiliations, biography, other articles her or she has written, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other online indications of his or her qualifications or biases.

2. Headline. Many people read only this far before sharing on social media. Is the headline obvious clickbait? Are its claims backed up by the actual content of the article?

3. Sources. Are any listed? Are there links to other articles or websites, and are these credible? Do the links reveal business or political affiliations or possible biases?

4. Message. Does the author urge you to take action of some kind, make a donation, or buy a product?

5. Pictures. Can their claimed origin be verified with a Google reverse image source? Are graphs clearly labeled? Is their source given?

6. Occurrence. Is the story repeated on other sites, or does it appear only on one location?

7. What is the date? Old news masquerading as new might not be relevant to current events, or older science might have been altered by newer findings.

8. Opinion. Is the author reporting facts or expressing an opinion?

9. The Reader. Do you have a strong emotional reaction to the content? Could the article be contrived to elicit a strong reaction and perhaps override your more logical analysis? Is it something you WANT to believe, in other words, does it appeal to your prejudices? Is your own confirmation bias a factor in how you react to the article?

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