To check whether something online is true, pause before sharing, look into who published it, search for what other credible sources say, and trace claims, quotes or images back to their original source. These steps come from established media-literacy frameworks used by fact-checkers, researchers and journalists, including Poynter's MediaWise program, the SIFT method, and the News Literacy Project.
Misinformation spreads quickly across social media and messaging apps, often faster than corrections can catch up. Several journalism and media-literacy organizations have developed step-by-step methods that ordinary readers can use to check claims before believing or sharing them. This guide combines those methods into a single practical checklist.
Step 1: Stop before you share
Media researcher Mike Caulfield, creator of the SIFT method, says the first move when encountering a new claim online is simply to STOP. According to Caulfield's framework, this means pausing before reading further to ask whether you recognize the source and know its reputation, rather than reacting or sharing immediately based on an emotional response.
Step 2: Investigate the source
The SIFT method's second move is to spend about 60 seconds researching who published the information. Caulfield's framework notes that knowing a source's expertise, agenda and track record changes how much weight a claim deserves — for example, a claim about economics from a recognized economist carries different weight than one from an anonymous account.
Poynter's MediaWise program, aimed at teaching digital media literacy, frames this as asking three questions drawn from the Stanford History Education Group: who is behind the information, what is the evidence, and what do other sources say. If these questions cannot be answered, Poynter's guide treats that as a red flag that the information may be false.
Step 3: Separate facts from opinions
Poynter's guide distinguishes between objective statements — verifiable facts such as names, dates, places and data — and subjective statements, which are personal views or opinions that may be biased. The guide notes that fact-checking organizations such as PolitiFact generally avoid checking opinions, predictions or pure rhetoric, focusing instead on statements that contain checkable factual content.
Step 4: Find better coverage
Rather than trusting a single post that claims something is true or false, the SIFT method's third move is to search for how multiple trusted outlets are covering the same topic. This helps readers see whether there is a broader consensus and gives context for judging the original claim.
Use a credibility checklist
The News Literacy Project's RumorGuard platform, launched on October 5, 2022, evaluates viral claims using five credibility factors: source, evidence, context, reasoning and authenticity. The nonpartisan education nonprofit built the tool to teach the public the same evaluation steps professional fact-checkers use, rather than only publishing debunks.
Step 5: Trace claims, quotes and images to their origin
The fourth SIFT move is tracing a claim, quote or piece of media back to its original context, since content often loses context as it circulates — videos get clipped, captions get swapped, and research findings get oversimplified. Reconstructing where something first appeared shows whether the version being shared matches the original.
Reverse image search for photos
A Google News Initiative training module explains that reverse image search can confirm when and where a photo first appeared online. On desktop, right-clicking an image and selecting "Search Google for this Image," or uploading it at images.google.com, returns other pages where the same picture has been published; narrowing results by a specific time range on the search-tools menu helps establish whether an image is being recirculated from an earlier, unrelated event.
Stop before reacting or sharing, and notice your emotional response to the claim.
Investigate who published it and what their expertise or agenda might be.
Separate verifiable facts (names, dates, data) from opinions or predictions.
Search for how other credible, independent sources are covering the same claim.
Trace quotes, videos and images back to their original source and context, using reverse image search for photos.
Misinformation is a real threat to our democracy.
— Charles Salter, News Literacy Project President and CEO, quoted in the organization's RumorGuard launch announcement
Why this matters
None of these frameworks claim to make fact-checking instant. Poynter's guide notes that evaluating a claim takes deliberate steps rather than a snap judgment, and the SIFT method is designed to be repeatable so that it becomes a habit rather than a one-time exercise for major news events only.
Questions
What is the SIFT method?
SIFT is a four-step method created by media researcher Mike Caulfield: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims back to their original context, used to quickly evaluate information encountered online.
What is RumorGuard?
RumorGuard is a platform run by the nonpartisan nonprofit News Literacy Project, launched on October 5, 2022, that debunks viral rumors and teaches the public to judge claims using five factors: source, evidence, context, reasoning and authenticity.
How do I check if a photo online is real or old?
According to a Google News Initiative training module, you can right-click the image and choose "Search Google for this Image," or upload it at images.google.com, then use the search-tools time filter to see when and where the image first appeared.
Should I fact-check opinions as well as facts?
Poynter's MediaWise guide says fact-checking should focus on objective, verifiable statements such as names, dates and data, not on opinions, predictions or rhetoric, since those are not factual claims that can be checked.
What is the first thing I should do before sharing a claim?
According to the SIFT method, the first move is to stop and pause before reacting, assessing whether you recognize the source and its reputation before reading further or sharing.
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