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Identify & Challenge Disinformation

It is more important than ever to be able to identify disinformation and to not spread it yourself. This guide gives you tips and tools that will help you.

Fact Checking & Background Information


The resources on this page will help you identify fake news in various ways. Whether it's an app that helps you fact check quickly or an online resource that gives you guidelines to consider, these are all tools you will want to use in verifying sources. Use these tools to:

  • Fact check claims made in the source, 
  • Learn more about the source of claims made, and
  • Read background information to understand the context of claims

Fact Checking

Use these sites to fact check like a pro. All of the fact checking organizations linked below are nonpartisan and transparent about their processes and staff.


How to Fact Check History - Background Information

Why fact check history?

If you want to check a specific historical fact mentioned in a news story or speech or if you just want to get the complete unvarnished perspective on an historical event mentioned, watch this brief video to learn how it's done.


Read summary reports

A great way to be able to put current information in context is to read substantive reports on the issues discussed. The MJC Library has databases that can help you read those summaries.


Tools for Verifying Information in Different Sources

One of the best ways to evaluate the information you read or hear is by verifying it in different sorts of sources. The sites below will help you do that:


Identifying Misleading Statistics and Graphs

Often, authors will try to mislead you using statistics displayed in charts and graphs. Learn how you can identify misleading information in charts and graphs.


Deepfakes: Evaluate Videos

What is a deepfake?

An image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said. ("Deepfake." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deepfake. Accessed 
     5 Feb. 2025.)