TRACE

Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context

Determine the original context. Information shared on social media is often presented out of context in order to push an agenda and/or make content go viral. For example, misleading or false captions alter the meaning of photos to prove a point or elicit an emotional reaction. Statistics presented out of context can misrepresent data in order to affect public opinion.

Learn the original context of an image’s publication by doing a reverse image search in Google. Trace statistics to their creators in order to better understand their meaning. Follow links to original sources to make sure quotes and paraphrases are accurate and complete.

(For example, the results of scientific studies are often simplified in news articles and journalists might omit small but important details that change how the data is interpreted).