Finding trustworthy information on the internet can seem overwhelming. Luckily, it can be done once you know where to look. The last article in this series discussed how information needs to be backed up by evidence to be trustworthy. What is evidence? Evidence is observations showing that the information has been tested and found to be accurate. Understanding that trustworthy information needs evidence is the most important first step to telling the difference between trustworthy and untrustworthy health information. But there are also other tell-tale signs of false information. In this article we’ll go over some other ways to recognize false information.

These tips come from research that looks at the different techniques that bad actors use to spread false information. I’ll go over them below. If you see information that uses any of these techniques, this is a sign that it might be false.  You can read more about this research in the researchers' published article (1). The researchers also designed a game where you play as an imaginary fake-news outlet trying to get as many followers as possible. It’s a great way to learn about how fake-news creators think. You can play it for free at getbadnews.com.

Extreme emotional language

People who spread false information often try to make their readers extremely angry or afraid. They know that if they can evoke strong emotions people will react without thinking. When people get emotional, they are less likely to take the time to think twice about whether what they are reading is actually true. Beware of social media posts or news stories that try hard to make you feel angry or afraid. For example, statements like “eating this will lead to the apocalypse” or “Mr. So and So murders children” are trying to make you emotional. Creators of these types of posts try to make readers emotional so they won’t realize that the information is false. Look instead for information that is written in plain language. If you find yourself getting very angry about something that people say is happening online, pause for a second and ask “Is what they are saying actually true? How do I know that it is true?”. 

Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories are used a lot in false information. Conspiracy theories tend to grab readers’ attention, make them angry or afraid, and make them less likely to think critically. When people are told that a small group of people are plotting in secret to gain power they understandably get concerned and frustrated. People spreading false information make up conspiracies to manipulate these concerns and frustrations. While there are sometimes true conspiracies (such as the Watergate scandal), most conspiracy theories are made up to get people to feel threatened. When people feel threatened, they are less likely to notice false information. If you see social media posts claiming that people are plotting to do something bad, ask “might the author of this post be making this up to influence me?” and “do I actually have evidence to believe that what they’re saying is true?”. Look for information that only states the facts that are known and backs each up with evidence. Avoid information that focuses mostly on plots and schemes.

Personal Attacks and Discrediting Opponents

When a reliable source gets criticized, they usually respond with evidence to back up their information. When a source that is spreading false information gets criticized, they usually try to distract from the criticism. A common tactic people use to distract from criticism is making personal attacks against their critics. For example, imagine a high school principal says that a blog is spreading an idea that is not true. The blog might try and bring up something bad the principal did in the past. By bringing up the principal’s past bad behavior, the blog distracts from the principals’ criticism and tries to make the principal look bad. Of course, this doesn’t change the fact that the blog's information is false; they want to distract you so you don’t see that it is false. When you see someone criticizing a post online, watch how the person who made the post responds to the criticism. If they distract from the criticism or make accusations against the critics, then they are trying to hide the fact that they’re wrong. If instead they respond with evidence against the criticism, then they are more likely to be trustworthy.

Overall, make sure to look out for each of these tactics when looking at social media posts, the news, webpages, or even when talking with other people. If you find someone trying to make you angry or afraid, using conspiracy theories, or trying to discredit their critics, be skeptical of what they are saying. When looking for information about your health, look for people who speak in level-headed language, back up their claims with scientific evidence from a health institution, and respond to their critics without attacking them or discrediting them. 

1. Van der Linden, S., & Roozenbeek, J. (2020). Psychological inoculation against fake news. The psychology of fake news: Accepting, sharing, and correcting misinformation, 147-169.