Arm Yourself Against Misinformation

 In a recent Twitter post, King Henry VIII said 'Don't believe everything you read on the internet, else you may lose your head'.

Of course, that is not true. It does act as a prime example of how easy it is for something untrue to be shared on the internet.


Within our current technological world, information can be spread around the world in a matter of moments. Obviously, this has some major advantages, including the ability for intelligence services to share intelligence, the ability of scientists to share data, and for me to share information with you, wherever you are in the world. 

 

And there are disadvantages as well. As easy as it is for true information to be shared, false information can also be shared. This false information can be outright lies (like the texts I get from 'delivery companies' asking me to pay for redelivery), misleading (like the absolute best workout ever), or just misinterpreted (like a  gym buddy saying that cardio is bad for muscle gain).

 

It is important to keep ourselves safe from false information. Sometimes, false information may be completely harmless, other times we may be at risk of injury, fraud, or just appearing really dumb!

 

It is easy to get caught up in a lie. Especially when it comes from a trusted source. So, how can we sort fact from fiction? 

 

Simply, use my SPORK method. Source. Purpose. Origins. Research. Knowledge. 

 

Source - This is where the information has come from, and how reliable that source is. 

 

Purpose - Why has this information been shared?

 

Origins - Where has this information originated? 

 

Research - What research can you do to find out more?

 

Knowledge - What do you know now?

 

 

By following this simple guide, I hope you can have the confidence to question any information you are being presented. Research and your own knowledge is very important to ensure the information is accurate, and always remember that every source could be unreliable if they are biased or mis-informed themselves. 

 



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