How to Spot and Counter Misinformation Online
Everybody knows somebody who shares misleading or questionable posts. But many of us have shared misinformation without knowing it. Take this course to help slow the spread of harmful misinformation online and protect your friends and family too.
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Why Counter Misinformation
None of us think we share misinformation. But if none of us did, misinformation wouldn’t be as big a problem as it is today. What we share online can spread like wildfire. Sharing articles about unproven health practices or biased studies are only a handful of harmful examples of the content we read every day.
We can all play our part in stopping the spread of harmful misinformation, and in the case of COVID-19, this can also help to save lives.
How You Can Help
Being able to spot and stop the spread of misinformation is a powerful skill. By signing up for this course, you’re taking action to make the world a safer place by making sure that misinformation, disinformation, and “fake news” don’t spread.
With a new lesson delivered to your inbox each day, you’ll learn firsthand how to decide when it’s safe to share information on the internet, and when to pause.
How to Spot and Counter Misinformation Online
Format
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5 lessons, 15–20 minutes each, delivered daily to your email inbox
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Or download all 5 lessons as a PDF
What You Will Learn
- Understand when to share information
- Check your sources for authenticity
- Resist popular myths and fake news
- Have a healthy relationship with the internet
- Respond to misinformation
Course Overview
5 Lessons
Lesson 1
Pause and Ask “Should I share this?”Learn how to spot misinformation warning signs and understand the importance of taking a pause before sharing what you read online.
Lesson 2
Fact CheckingLearn how to effectively fact-check an article and evaluate the credibility of its sources with a critical eye.
Lesson 3
Resisting Popular Myths and Fake NewsLearn about the “illusory truth effect” and how to make your news feed less biased.
Lesson 4
Digital DetoxUnderstand the importance of taking a digital detox and how our online behaviors can help combat misinformation.
Lesson 5
Responding to MisinformationLearn what constructive actions you can take when you come across misinformation, and how you can help it from spreading.
Fast Company’s World Changing Idea 2022
About This Partnership
Verified was launched by the United Nations in response to the COVID crisis to cut through the noise to deliver life-saving information, fact-based advice and stories from the best of humanity. Like the virus itself, misinformation spreads from person-to-person, heightening the risk to health and spreading fear and division. By promoting and sharing Verified messages, people are playing a crucial role in spreading reliable information about COVID-19 to their friends, families and social networks, with the goal of saving lives and countering misinformation.
wikiHow is the world’s largest website on a mission to help every person on the planet learn how to do anything. We partner with 1,000+ experts from a wide range of fields to ensure our content is accurate and based on well-established research and testimony. We work closely with each expert to review information, answer reader questions, and add credible advice. In the face of a global pandemic, it’s now more important than ever to help people learn how to confidently navigate the internet. Learn more about our editorial process and why millions of readers trust wikiHow.
