Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBefore sharing a political headline, open the full story, identify the specific claim, check who published and wrote it, trace important assertions to original evidence, compare independent reporting, and verify dates and image context. If key details remain uncertain, wait or make that uncertainty clear rather than passing the claim along as fact.
Start with the claim, not the headline
A headline, screenshot, caption, or social post is not the whole story. Open the article and identify the precise factual claim it makes. Then distinguish reporting from opinion, analysis, satire, or a post that merely repeats someone else’s account. Ask whether the headline accurately reflects the article, and whether a quote, image, or statistic is being presented without important context. The World Health Organization’s guidance recommends reading beyond headlines and checking whether material is out of context; the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s 2019 guidance also advises distinguishing fact, opinion, out-of-context material, and falsehood.
Check the publisher and author
Look for the publication’s identity, the author’s name, and signs of whether the piece is original reporting or material reproduced from elsewhere. Search for the outlet and author independently; a site’s own About page is useful but is not independent confirmation. The WHO advises searching an author’s name, while Google’s 2021 tips recommend checking unfamiliar sources and looking beyond their own descriptions.
Trace consequential claims to original evidence
Follow the article’s links and look for the underlying material: a bill or court filing, an agency release, a complete speech or interview, a public dataset, or a direct statement. Check whether it supports the headline’s exact wording and whether qualifications have been left out. The Associated Press describes corroborating claims with documents and on-the-record sources in its verification workflow; the WHO likewise advises checking that links support the claim.
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Keep in mind what a source can establish. An official statement is primary evidence of what an office said, not automatic proof that every claim in that statement is true. A court filing can establish what was filed, but not necessarily the truth of disputed assertions it contains. Separate the original record from the interpretation built on it.
Compare reporting that is genuinely independent
Search for the central claim and compare coverage from multiple reliable outlets that explain how they know what happened. Prefer reporting with documents, named sources, or other transparent support over several stories that all repeat the same press release, wire report, or social post. The AP says it confirms facts with several independent reliable sources; Google recommends checking how different outlets cover an event. Fact-checking organizations such as the AP and Reuters may also have examined a claim already.
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When accounts disagree, compare how close each is to the original evidence, whether its sourcing is independent, whether it distinguishes fact from interpretation, and whether its headline matches the body. If the available evidence does not resolve the disagreement, treat it as unresolved rather than choosing the most confident-sounding version.
Check dates, images, and event context
Compare the story’s publication and update dates with the date of the event, quote, statistic, photo, or video. Old material can be recirculated as if it were new, and an authentic image can still be misleading if it is from another place or event.
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Reverse-image search can reveal earlier appearances of a picture. Compare visible details such as signs, landmarks, language, weather, and location; maps or Street View can help check a claimed setting. The AP describes using reverse-image search, geolocation, and visual comparisons in verification, and Google recommends checking earlier image appearances and locations. These checks are clues, not proof: a search result cannot by itself establish authenticity or full provenance, no search matches do not prove an image is original, and metadata may be missing or altered.
Pause before you share
Ask what the post is trying to make you feel and why you want to pass it on. Strong emotion is a reason to slow down, not evidence that a claim is false. CISA’s 2019 guidance puts it plainly: “Ask yourself why you’re sharing—and let your emotions cool.” It also recommends investigating a provocative headline’s source and content before sharing it.
Political stories can change as new documents or testimony emerge. For a fast-moving claim, check when the information was published or updated and state the date if you share it. If corroboration is still missing, wait, qualify what you say, or do not forward it as established fact.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What survey findings do—and do not—say
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s 2025 report, How the public checks information it thinks might be wrong, examines where people say they would turn when they suspect online news may be false, misleading, or fake. In that survey, 13% said they did not know where they would check; 62% did not think of publishers as the first place to turn; and 43% would rely on publishers when responses naming news sources directly are combined with those seeking traditional news sources through platforms. These are self-reported answers to the survey question, not observations of what people actually do. The institute cautions that stated behavior may not match real-world behavior, so the figures should not be treated as a measure of how often people verify political headlines.
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