Misinformation (How to Spot Fake News)

Have you ever heard a silly story. Like maybe that pigs can fly high in the sky. Or that yummy cookies grow on big green trees. That sounds funny, doesn't it. It might make you wiggle your nose and think, 'Hmm, is that really true.'. I am that little hmm feeling. I am the little question that pops into your head. Hello. I am the idea of Checking Your Facts. I am here to help you be a super detective for stories and find out what is real. It's a fun game we can play together.

A very, very long time ago, there were no TVs or phones. People shared stories by talking to each other. A friend would tell a friend, who would tell another friend. Sometimes, the stories changed a little bit, like in a game of telephone. One person might say, 'I saw a big brown dog,' but by the end, the story could be, 'I saw a giant purple dog wearing a hat.'. Then, a smart person invented something amazing around the year 1440. It was called a printing press. It was like a big stamp machine that could make lots of books and newspapers super fast. By the year 1605, newspapers were sharing news with whole towns. This was so exciting. But sometimes, people printed stories that weren't true just to be silly. I had to help readers then, too, by making them wonder, 'Is this story real.'.

Now, stories and pictures can fly all around the world in just a blink on shiny screens like computers and phones. That’s why I’m more important than ever before. When you see something that makes you feel puzzled or makes your brain say 'Hmm,' you can use me. You can be a fact detective. Ask a grown-up you trust for help. Look very closely at the pictures. And think about whether the story makes sense. Being a fact detective helps everyone know what's real and true. It makes our world a smarter and kinder place for everyone to share.