It’s fake news season: 6 ways to tell fact from fiction

From Facebook to TikTok to X, Instagram, Whatsapp and more, sifting truth from lies online continues to be a topical issue for everyone.
Social media posts with shocking reveals, photos that may have been altered, and even videos created with AI are now possible, making it even more difficult for the average person to figure out the difference between what’s real and what’s not.
But how can the public tell fact from fiction in the digital age?
Loop News spoke with Digital Anthropologist Daren Dhoray of CybersafeTT on tips to help Trinidadians sift through the digital confusion:
1. Use common sense
“Before clicking on that share button, ask yourself, does this sound a bit strange or even too good to be true?”
“Read below the headline: Many of us simply read the headline of an article and then click share without even reading the content of the actual article. This only serves to make the article more viral and you’re now contributing to the spreading of fake news.”
2. Don’t get fooled by the image
“There are many examples where the image associated with the news article doesn’t match however the image is scandalous enough to warrant a quick click of the share button without reading further. Secondly, you have to be very discerning about images (and videos) that you see with the rise of AI tools.”
“A quick Google Search for ‘AI Image Detection’ will put you in touch with some free tools that can check an image for you.”
3. Check the sender or author
“If the message is posted from a Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, check the profile pic. If the profile pic isn’t representative of the person sending the article, it could mean that the person might have something to hide. Be aware also of any personal agendas the sender may have.”
Another handy tip is to check the profile of the social media account sharing the news. Was the account created recently or are there only a few friends on their contact list? Chance are it may be a fake account.
4. Check the website address or media house name
“Many website addresses are registered to look very similar to more well-established websites. This is done to present a level of credibility to the fake news website.”
“Check if the same story is being run by other recognized media sources: If the news is real, it will most likely be carried by multiple major media houses. A quick Google search will help you figure this out.”
5. Double-check shocking, scandalous posts 
“If a post is scandalous or shocking at first glance, chances are the headlines may be misleading and the article itself may not be entirely true. As with the pointers above, check to see if there are multiple reputable news houses carrying the story.
“You certainly don’t want to share or comment on the post. Even if you’re commenting something like ‘Hey, this is fake, you should delete’, as what sharing or commenting does is tells the social media platform that this post is interesting and will result in it being seen by more people, when in fact, we want the exact opposite.”
6. Use available online resources to fact-check 
“So if after trying all the above and you still have some doubts, there are some websites that can be used to see whether a social media post, email etc is true or not:
https://www.factcheck.org/ – Specifically for US Politics
https://www.politifact.com/
https://www.snopes.com/
“Unfortunately, there is no sure fact checking site for Trinidad and Tobago politics, so you will have to use the pointers shared and ultimately your better judgment in this regard.”
Ultimately, always take what you see online with a “grain of salt” until you have enough verified sources to confirm that the information is true.
Do you double-check your social media news before sharing? Have you ever mistakenly shared a fake social media post?  (Source: The Loop, March 25, 2025)