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Fact-Check Central
Social Media BS Detection - A User's Guide
Here are some general guidelines for critically examining what shows up "trending" on social media. I've found that following the principles below is enough to clear out at least 98% of all BS that shows up on Facebook, Twitter, and the like. Given how much of it there's been since the 2016 POTUS election, the need for it is more critical than ever in recent history.
1) Dramatic claims require dramatic proof
The more inflammatory and/or conspiratorial the allegation, the greater the quantity and quality of evidence we should demand before accepting it. Whether it resonates emotionally with our own narratives or not not isn't enough.
2) Bias reveals itself in information & methods, not opinions
By definition, bias is any factor that selectively introduces errors &/or omissions favoring a particular conclusion. It may be random or deliberate. It may or may not be intentional. But it can only be demonstrated by examining the information and reasoning behind a claim. How offensive or "elitist" it is has no prima facie bearing whatsoever on whether it's true. Someone on the 10th floor may shout "fire!" because he/she has an agenda, or because they looked out the window & saw the flames & fire trucks. Any source that's truly biased will have a history of being chronically careless with facts, reasoning, and scholarship. In the absence of a clear demonstration of this in their claims, dismissing it as the "liberal media," "deplorables," or any other bitch-slap is a poisoning the well fallacy.
But that said...
3) Overt agendas pose significant risks for objectivity
Strident views don't necessarily preclude properly researched arguments, but they make them a lot more challenging. The more unhinged and inflammatory a source is, the greater the risk it presents for confirmation bias. Honestly... how objective can a website with a name like "100PercentFedUp.com" possibly be? (Zimdars, 2016)
Stick to sources that are established and reputable or those that cite them: Mainstream news outlets, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and the like. If science is involved, try to base claims on peer-reviewed research published in reputable journals like say, Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, or the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Never rely on a single source for news and information, and wherever possible stick to those that are moderate and centrist. If any lean Left, make sure they're balanced by others that lean Right. A good spread would be something like this;
- Moderate Left: New York Times, Washington Post
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