Resources

Information is everywhere and sometimes it can be difficult to judge how accurate or reliable information is.

Use the STOP, THINK, CHECK method to help find accurate and reliable information.

1. Stop: Read more than the headline.

Headlines are designed to catch your eye but a headline can’t give the full story, and neither can a short social media post. If it sounds unbelievable, it probably is

2. Stop: Don’t assume that a picture or photo is giving you the whole story.

Sometimes pictures lie. If a picture has been altered or ‘photoshopped’, or simply used out of context, then it can be easy to draw the wrong conclusions. You can search for the photo or image to verify where it came from. Tools like Google Reverse Image Search can help to fact-check images

3. Stop: Just because information goes viral or is trending, doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

Disinformation can be designed to provoke a strong emotional reaction and prompt instant sharing or ‘liking’ in a moment of outrage, excitement, disbelief, and so on. Social media and messaging applications make it really easy to share information quickly to wide groups of people.

1. Think: Ask yourself what the purpose of the  information is.

Information is created to:

• • tell us something (news)
  • entertain us (satire, cartoon strips, funny videos)
  • persuade us (advertising)
  • Look at the style, tone and source of the information to help you to judge how reliable or accurate it is.

2. Think: Consider your own biase

Ask yourself whether the information challenges you or does it match your own views. We are more likely to believe information that supports our own views – even if it seems a bit dubious.
Formulas like algorithms can track what you read, see and hear online and generate recommendations for you based on your previous choices. So the information that you get can be highly personalised and not necessarily reflect broader views or opinions.

3.Think: See if the information is being reported anywhere else

If you can’t find the same information elsewhere, it could be because it is inaccurate, unreliable or out of date. This is especially true if the information appears to very topical or newsworthy. 

1. Check: Look closely at the web address 

Sometimes disinformation is found on websites with a web address (URL) that looks very similar to a well-known news or media site. There might only be a small change in the spelling of the URL. If in doubt, go to the real site and compare the URLs.

If the information comes from a website that you are not familiar with, look for an “About” section to learn more about who is behind the website and why they might have this information.

2. Check: Look at the detail to check for accuracy

Do any dates mentioned make sense? Are there references to unnamed experts? Are the links to the author’s sources clearly visible? Information that comes from reliable and trustworthy sources is usually well written. So, watch out for typos and strange sounding sentences.

3. Check: Ask An Expert

Sometimes we all struggle to know whether something is accurate and reliable. So, if in doubt, check it out. Get a second opinion. The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) monitors trends in the fact-checking field to offer resources to fact-checkers, contribute to public discourse and is underpinned by a Code of Principles.

The Be Media Smart ‘Workshop in a Box’ is a free resource that have been designed to provide teachers, librarians, community leaders and other educators with everything required to deliver a community-based workshop where participants can learn about engaging with digital media content, as well as the issue of disinformation and its impact on the society.

The Workshop in a Box includes slides, instructions, notes, and handouts to help learning facilitators deliver to participants of different ages and backgrounds an effective learning experience about how to deal with information in the digital age. All materials are available for free and can be accessed online with explanations on how to use.

All the following items are available to download and can be free of change by anyone who wants to deliver a media literacy workshop:

• Pedagogical Framework: This is a roadmap for the entire training journey. This framework outlines the educational philosophy, pedagogical approach, and rationale behind the learning experience. Trainers should start here to familiarize themselves with the objectives and underlying principles of the training, understanding not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ of the content and activities.
• Slides: Available in a separate file, they serve as the primary visual aid during the training sessions. Designed to be interactive and engaging, the slides summarise key information, highlight essential points, and facilitate the practical activities, especially the group discussions. Facilitators should constantly refer to them during the workshop for a structured flow of content. 
• Slides with description: This document provides a detailed breakdown of all the learning stages and activities of the workshop. Each activity’s content, instructions, resources, and duration are clearly detailed. Facilitators should use it as a guide to deliver the content and facilitate the group activities.
• Handout: This should be printed and handed to each participant before the final activity of the workshop (or shared as a digital version).
• Resources for facilitators: This section provides facilitators with additional descriptions, materials and references about the topics discussed in the workshop.