Think it through · Start with a story
The robot sees a post claiming that “the Moon will turn green tomorrow,” with a beautiful picture. The girl asks: can a beautiful picture count as evidence?
Break down the process
- Find the sourceWho published it?
- Check the dateCould it be old news?
- Look for original evidenceDoes it support the claim?
- Cross-checkWhat do other reliable sources say?
Online content may be wrong, out of date, taken out of context, or made up.
To verify a claim, look for traceable sources and check the original material, date, and context. Many accounts repeating the same message do not necessarily count as many independent pieces of evidence.
Images can also be edited or generated. Check whether they are genuinely connected to the claim.
Your turn to try
Ten accounts share the same screenshot with no source. Does that count as ten independent proofs?
Have you decided? Open to see the explanation
No. They may all be repeating the same unverified source. Look for the original material and check it.
Take away one discovery
Online content may be wrong, out of date, taken out of context, or made up.
Try covering the diagram above and explaining each step to someone at home. If one step is unclear, go back and look at that card again.