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2023-10-18

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Fact-checkers and Bias

Ensuring What You Consume Is Correct

False statements, exaggerations, and bias are real issues we face in a digital, rapidly changing world. It's not uncommon to go on social media sites like X (formerly Twitter) or Threads and see a message with "BREAKING:..." But when was the message sent out, and is it actually breaking news? Who sent the message, and what authority do they have on the topic? Do they have a bias that leads them to highlight certain perspectives when it is important also to hear the other side?

These are all important questions we should be asking ourselves when we listen to politicians, watch films, listen to podcasts and interviews, and when we read the news. Whether a news organization is public, government-supported, or privatized, by reading a variety of different publications, you might start to notice a bias from the initial publication you consumed. 

Here are some sites and tips for navigating falsehoods and bias in the news and media:

  • PolitiFact is an organization that tracks statements from some of the most prominent American politicians as well as across social media. They rank the truth of statements from "True" to "Pants on Fire" (blatantly incorrect). It's important to read why or why not these statements have been proven or disproven instead of just looking at the label.
  • FactCheck.org focuses more on issues than individual statements. They have resources like AskSciCheck about science and public health questions, as well as Debunking False Claims, which works with Facebook to try and debunk social media disinformation. 
  • The library at the University of California, Berkeley has a fairly extensive section on  Real News/Fake News that complies fact-checking sites, tips for detecting fake news and deepfake videos, and a page outlining the Code of Ethics for journalists. 
  • You should also be aware of who owns and has a say over major publications like The Washington Post and The New York Times before taking all their information and reporting at face value. 
  • If X (or another social media site) flags something as fake/incorrect/misleading, read about what you are actually seeing. The level of incorrectness will always depend on varying factors and range from simply misleading to being totally fabricated. 

Essentially, make sure you are thorough with whatever you are reading. You want to make sure what you write and reshare is as factually sound as possible. 


Pro Tips

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Tips for Diversifying Your Language

Sometimes, it is difficult to write about a topic without using the same word over and over. It's a common struggle for authors, but you should do what you can to diversify your language.

As an example, if you are writing about a new music album, try using a variety of terms like "album," "record," "release," "new music," "[artist's name] new work," and the album's name, instead of just "the album" over and over.  

Thesaurus.com is ground zero for coming up with new words to use. Plug a word into the search bar and see synonyms labeled according to how closely their definition aligns with the original word. The dictionary Merriam-Webster also has a thesaurus section. Next to the search bar, you can toggle between the regular dictionary and thesaurus.

Try and get creative with your diversification of words! Sometimes, using literary devices or words that conjure images can be a creative way of saying something. If you are writing about someone who is expressionless, you can use words like vacant or inscrutable or a phrase that sounds a bit more frivolous, like "stood looking at me statuesque."

Terms that are heard less often in a day-to-day setting are likely to grab your reader's attention, which is always a good thing. That said, you shouldn't try and get so creative with your wording that you start to confuse your readers. Words that aren't generally within the public's realm of language might end up giving off the idea that you are using a thesaurus and don't even know how to use them yourself. 

Words are incredibly important, especially when your name is attached to them. Take your time choosing them!


Featured Articles of the Week

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From the powers of the element of air to how both science and faith implore us to take care of the planet, these are our featured articles of the week! Thank you to all the writers!


  HubPages Fun Fact: When New Zealand adopted a standard time in 1868, it became the first country (or colony, at the time) to adopt Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
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