Verifying online information is crucial because the internet is a vast space where misinformation can spread rapidly. Without verification, false or misleading content can be mistaken for truth, impacting decisions, beliefs, and actions. Verifying ensures the accuracy of information, promotes informed decision-making, and helps maintain a reliable and trustworthy digital environment.
Fake News
Fake News is the mischievous cousin of real news, spreading lies disguised as trustworthy stories. Crafted to grab attention, it often plays on emotions or biases. Found online or on social media, detecting Fake News involves fact-checking, critical thinking, and digital savvy.
Digital Footprint
Your digital footprint is your record of everything you do online. In other words, you leave a trail of the things you do online. Examples are: your social media activities, your personal information, browsing history, online subscriptions and photo and video galleries (Future of Learning 2018). How do you establish a good reputation online?
Check level of language, grammar and spelling errors.
Identify primary sources:
Using primary sources is valuable when judging information because they offer direct and firsthand evidence. Primary sources are created at the time of the event or by individuals involved, providing authenticity and reliability. Relying on primary sources enhances the accuracy of information, minimizes bias, and allows for a more nuanced understanding of historical, scientific, or cultural contexts.
Is this site real? Do octopi live in trees? When you open this site, it appears as any other legitimate website, with author, publication date, navigation tabs with information relating to science and marine biology etc. However:
Does the image appear as if this might be a source you can trust?
Image: Startbloggingonline.com
Peer review is a process of evaluation by experts of someone's research for publication in an academic journal (Merriam Webster dictionary c2019). This system exists to validate academic work and to help improve quality of published research (Elsevier c2019). Rather consult peer reviewed articles which you can access through the university's library journal databases.
Ensure your social media pages have appropriate pictures and content that you are proud to share.
Image source: picturesso.com; Clipartmax
Source: Permission granted: Kathleen Morris:
Source: Permission granted: Kathleen Morris:
Image: Wikimedia commons
A negative digital footprint:
Source: Government Polytechnic, Nagpur
Image: Wikimedia commons
A positive digital footprint:
The following link explains why establishing a good digital footprint is so important.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Examples of individuals who have been fired due to inappropriate Facebook posts.
Source: Waldenu University