11 Ways to Fight Election Misinformation

4. Conduct an image search

In July, an image appeared online of Joe Biden wearing a pink suit to celebrate the Barbie movie (it was an AI-generated fake, RumorGuard showed). To learn more about a photo’s authenticity, Google lets you conduct a reverse image search. Go to images.google.com and paste a photo or link in the search space. The results can help you discover information about the source and age of an image. Websites such TinEye.com also offer reverse image searching.

5. Beware of robocalls

AI images and videos may get more attention, but Claire Warlde, cofounder and codirector of the Information Futures Lab at Brown University, worries about increasingly personalized robocalls. You might, for example, receive an AI-generated call or text — seemingly from an official source — that addresses you by name and knows personal information (such as where you live). It may tell you, say, that you don’t need to bring your ID to the polling place, even though you do. “Unfortunately, we have to treat calls the same way that we have to be careful about [phishing] emails,” she says. “You can’t take anything for granted.”

6. Find reliable sources

Confirm that a blogger or website follows journalistic standards — which means that the publishers verify their information. News organizations may make mistakes, but they correct them, and they have rigorous fact-checking operations. “Think about a source’s reputation and their track record of accuracy and verification,” says Adams. “If you see a photo or video shared by multiple standards-based news organizations, you can trust that it's authentic. But if you're seeing it bounce around hyper-partisan spaces and echo chambers online, be really careful.”

Pro tip: Google introduced a tool in March 2023 to help with sourcing. When you conduct a Google search, you'll see three vertical dots next to every query result. Click on the dots and you’ll find the source for the link along with other information.  

7. Don’t just rely on one source for a story

Search for multiple sources, particularly if the subject seems extreme (like a political candidate wearing a Speedo). “I always do what's called lateral reading, which is to say, ‘Who else is reporting on this?,’” says Wardle. “Go to Google News. Do a search. If another source is reporting on it, they might give more context.” If your search doesn’t turn up other stories on the same topic, West notes, that’s a red flag.

8. Get information on where to vote from local governments

False information about when, where and how to vote is common on social media. For the most accurate info about everything from polling hours to voting procedures, contact official state and local government sources, such as the secretary of state and board of elections. Some states also work to counter misinformation. North Carolina, for example, maintains the online Mythbuster Archive, which covers topics such as voting machines and ballots for overseas residents, and New Mexico has a Rumors v. Reality page.

9. Think before sharing

Social media makes it easy to react quickly and emotionally to posts — and to unwittingly share misinformation, says West. Before sharing content, stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and consider your emotions and biases. When we share content without first verifying its accuracy, we all become misinformation agents. Wardle uses littering as an analogy: “Me throwing a Diet Coke out of the car on the highway might not seem terrible. But when everybody does it all day long, it’s awful.”

10. Escape your bubble

Whatever your political beliefs, we all share something in common: Confirmation bias. We seek information — and accept misinformation — because it affirms what we already think. Wardle’s counterapproach is to get a 360-degree understanding of a topic: to challenge her beliefs rather than reinforce them. “If you watch Fox News, try watching CNN during the day, or vice versa,” she says. “What are the other sides of the story that you're not hearing?” She compares it to eating chocolate. “Chocolate is delicious,” she says. “But at some point you need to eat spinach.”

11. Speak up

We all have a responsibility to expose misinformation. Platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and X have systems for reporting false information on their sites. Common Cause has a site called reportdisinfo.org, where people can report misleading info. For more information on spotting disinformation, check out this story from AARP.