Political spin is nothing new, and identifying reliable news and information can be hard to do during any presidency.
But the return of Donald Trump to the White House has reignited debates over truth, accountability and the role of media in a deeply divided America.
Misinformation is an umbrella term that covers all kinds of false and misleading content, and there is lots of it out there.
During Trump’s chaotic first presidency, the president himself promoted false claims about COVID-19, climate change and the 2020 election.
Now, in his second term, Trump is again using the bully pulpit of the presidency to spread false claims – for example, on Ukraine and Canada as well as immigration, inflation and, still, the 2020 election.
Meanwhile, social media platforms such as Meta have ended fact-checking programs created after Trump’s first election win, and presidential adviser Elon Musk continues to use social media platform X to amplify Trump’s false claims and his own conspiracy theories.
To stay informed while also arming yourself against misinformation, it’s crucial to practice what I call good ‘news hygiene’ by developing strong news literacy skills.
News literacy, as I argue in my open-access 2020 book News Literacy and Democracy and in recent research with colleagues, is about more than fact-checking and detecting AI-generated fakes. It’s about understanding how modern media works and how content is influenced, from TikTok ‘newsfluencers’ to FOX News to The New York Times.
Here are six ways to become a smarter, saner news consumer.
1. Recognise the influence of algorithms
Algorithms are the hidden computer formulas that mediate everything news consumers read, watch, click on and react to online. Despite the illusion of neutrality, algorithms shape people’s perceptions of reality and are designed to maximise engagement.
Algorithmic recommendation engines that power everything from X to YouTube can even contribute to a slow-burn destabilisation of American society by shoving consumers into partisan echo chambers that increase polarisation and erode social trust.
Sometimes, algorithms can feed falsehoods that warp people’s perceptions or tell them to engage in dangerous behavior. Facebook groups spreading “Stop the Steal” messages contributed to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. TikTok algorithms had people drinking laundry detergent in the “borax challenge.” Dylann Roof killed nine Black people based on falsehoods from hate groups he found in search results.
Rather than passively consuming whatever appears in your feeds – allowing brain rot to set in – actively seek out a variety of sources to inform you about current events. The news shouldn’t just tell you what you want to hear.
And spread the word. People who simply understand that algorithms filter information are more likely to take steps to combat misinformation.
2. Understand the economics of corporate news
Media outlets operate within economic systems that shape their priorities.
For-profit newsrooms, which produce the bulk of news consumed in the U.S., rely heavily on advertising revenue, which can reduce the quality of news and create a commercial bias. Places such as ABC, CNN and FOX, as well as local network TV affiliates, can still do good work, but their business model helps to explain sensational horse-race election coverage and false-balance reporting that leaves room for doubt on established facts about climate change and vaccines.
At the same time, the economic outlook for news is not good. Declining revenues and staff cuts also reduce the quality of news.
Nonprofit newsrooms and public media provide alternatives that generally prioritise public interest over profit. And if you have the budget, paying for quality journalism with a subscription can help credible outlets survive.
Traditional journalism has never been perfect, but the collapse of the news business is unquestionably bad for democracy. Countries with better funding for public media tend to have stronger democracies, and compared with other rich nations, the U.S. spends almost nothing on public service broadcasting.
3. Focus on source evaluation and verification
Particularly with AI-generated content on the rise, source evaluation and verification are essential skills. Here are some ways to identify trustworthy journalism:
- Quality of evidence: Are claims verified with support from a variety of informed individuals and perspectives?
- Transparency about sources: Is the reporter clear about where their information came from and who shared it?
- Adherence to ethical guidelines: Does the outlet follow the basic journalistic principles of accuracy and independence?
- Corrections: Does the outlet correct its errors and follow up on incomplete reporting?
Be cautious with content that lacks the author’s name, relies heavily on anonymous sources – or uses no sources at all – or is published by outlets with a clear ideological agenda. These aren’t immediate disqualifiers – some credible news magazines such as The Economist have no bylines, for example, and some sources legitimately need anonymity for protection – but watch out for news operations that routinely engage in these practices and obscure their motive for doing so.
A good online verification practice is called ‘lateral reading‘. That’s when you open new browser tabs to verify claims you see on news sites and social media. Ask: Is anyone else covering this, and have they reached similar conclusions?
4. Examine your emotional reactions
One of the hallmarks of misinformation is its ability to provoke strong emotional responses, whether outrage, fear or validation.
These reactions, research shows, can cloud judgment and make people more susceptible to false or misleading information. The primitive brains of humans are wired to reject information that challenges our beliefs and to accept information we like, a phenomenon known as confirmation bias.
When encountering content that sparks an emotional reaction, ask yourself: Who benefits from this narrative? What evidence supports it? Is this information informative or manipulative?
If the answers make you suspicious, investigate further before acting or sharing.
5. Guard against propaganda
Everyone in politics works to shape narratives in order to gain support for their agenda. It’s called spin.
But Trump goes further, spreading documented lies to pump up his followers and undermine the legitimacy of basic democratic institutions.
He also targets media he doesn’t like. From discrediting critical outlets as “fake news” or calling journalists the “enemy of the people,” these tactics silence dissent, undermine public trust in journalism and alter perceptions around acceptable public discourse and behavior.
Meanwhile, he amplifies information and people who support his political causes. This is called propaganda.
Understanding the mechanics of propaganda – its use of repetition, emotional appeal, scapegoating, scare tactics and unrealistic promises – can help inoculate people against its influence.
6. Stay engaged
Democracy relies on an informed and active citizenry to hold accountable their government and the officials who work in it as well as other powerful players in society. Yet the sheer volume of misinformation and bad news these days can feel overwhelming.
Rather than tuning out – what scholars call “news avoidance” – you can practice critical consumption of news.
Read deeply, look beyond headlines and short video clips, question the framing of stories, and encourage discussions about the role of media in society. Share reliable information with your friends and colleagues, and model good news hygiene for others.
Correcting misinformation is notoriously hard, so if someone you know shares it, start a dialogue by asking – privately and gently – where they heard it and whether they think it’s really true.
Finally, set goals for your consumption. What are your information needs at any given moment, and where can you meet that need? Some experts say 30 minutes a day is enough. Don’t waste your time on garbage.
Touch grass
While it’s important to stay engaged, so is getting outside and connecting with nature to calm and soothe your busy brain. Logging off and connecting with people in real life will keep your support system strong for when things are tough. Protect your mental health by turning off notifications and taking breaks from your phone.
Practicing good news hygiene isn’t just about protecting ourselves – it’s about fostering a media environment that supports democracy and informed participation.
Seth Ashley, Professor of Communication and Media, Boise State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
