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    Is This News Real?

    Don't share until you check. Here's how to tell real news from propaganda, hoaxes, and AI fakes.

    Your 10-step fake news checklist

    0 of 10 done

    Tick each one off as you go. You don't have to finish every step, but the more you can answer, the more confident you can be.

    Biased is not the same as fake

    Every outlet has a lean — a point of view on what stories matter and how to tell them. That's different from making things up. A reliable-but-slanted source can still have the facts right. A "neutral" source can still get a story wrong. Your job is to read critically, not pick a team.

    A rough reliability ladder

    1. 1Least biased: AP, Reuters, BBC, NPR news desk.
    2. 2Left-leaning or right-leaning but reliable: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Hill.
    3. 3Opinion-heavy or mixed reliability: cable talk shows, partisan websites, some podcast networks.
    4. 4Questionable: sites flagged for frequent errors, conspiracy content, or cherry-picked framing.
    5. 5Outright fake: sites that fabricate quotes, steal identities, or invent events entirely.

    Before you form an opinion on a big story, read it in at least two outlets that lean different ways — plus one of the least-biased newswires at the top.

    Look up an outlet at Media Bias / Fact Check

    10 red flags of fake news

    • ALL CAPS HEADLINES designed to shout at you.
    • Excessive exclamation points or ??? in titles.
    • "Doctors hate this" or "You won't believe what happens next" clickbait.
    • No named source — only "Experts say", "Studies show", or "Sources close to".
    • The story only cites itself or another suspicious site.
    • Older stories relabeled with new dates to make them feel fresh.
    • Deepfake images or out-of-context photos pulled from unrelated events.
    • Emotional manipulation over information — rage, fear, or outrage first.
    • Urgency pressure to "share before it gets taken down".
    • A political party name or loaded phrase baked right into the URL.

    Check before you share — 4 quick steps

    1. 1Read the whole article — not just the headline.
    2. 2Check the date on the story.
    3. 3Search the claim on Snopes, PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, Reuters, or AP.
    4. 4If you still are not sure — do not share it.

    Fact-check resources

    Open any of these in a new tab. Search the headline, a key quote, or a photo — the major fact-checkers cover most viral claims within hours.

    AI-generated content — what to watch for

    AI-made images, voice clones, and fake articles look more real every month. These are the tells that still catch most fakes today.

    • Look at hands, teeth, and eyes — AI still gets these wrong (extra fingers, warped teeth, uneven pupils).
    • Listen for monotone delivery or wrong rhythm in voice clips — real people pause, sigh, and stumble.
    • Check the source site — grammar errors, no About page, and auto-generated filler are giveaways.
    • Zoom in on text in the image (signs, labels) — AI often produces garbled letters.
    • Look for mismatched jewelry, lopsided glasses, or backgrounds that melt into each other.

    Tools that can help

    Open Is This Real?Deepfake Defense Hub

    Tips by story type

    Different kinds of stories call for different primary sources. When you're stuck, go directly to the place the claim should live.

    Medical claims

    A cure, a warning, or a "study shows" post. Go straight to the medical sources — not a random blog or Facebook screenshot.

    ClinicalTrials.govCDC.govNIH.gov

    Financial scares

    Posts about "your bank is collapsing" or "the IRS is coming" are designed to panic you. Check the primary sources and call your own bank.

    SEC.govFTC.govConsumer Financial Protection Bureau

    Political claims

    Headlines about new laws or bills. Read the actual bill text — Congress.gov publishes every bill. A partisan site might describe it very differently than the text reads.

    Congress.govGovTrack

    Celebrity rumors

    Death hoaxes and "breaking" celebrity news spread wildly. Check industry outlets, not a single tabloid or screenshot.

    VarietyDeadlineAP News

    Weather / disaster

    Storm warnings and disaster images get recycled. Trust the National Weather Service and your local emergency office over a dramatic social post.

    National Weather ServiceReady.gov

    My family member keeps sharing fake news — what do I do?

    You are not alone. Here's how to nudge someone you love toward better sources without setting off a fight.

    • Do not shame them publicly or in the family group chat.
    • Reach out privately with a short, warm message and one fact-check link.
    • Frame it from care — "I wanted to share this because I was worried it might not be real."
    • Ask them to check before sharing next time, rather than arguing about this one post.
    • If they dig in, let it go. The relationship matters more than winning a single post.

    Sometimes you agree to disagree. The relationship matters more than winning a single post.

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