Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Illustrations: Aroop Mishra
How often do you just read the headline of a news story and form an opinion or get worried? And do you end up sharing these with others?
If the answer to the above is yes, then the solution is simpler than you think:
Just read beyond the headlines.
Very often, media outlets give clickbait headlines, and one could easily be misled by just reading that. So, the best practice is to read the full story and find out about the sources mentioned in the story.
Here are some of the things you should do:
Read the full story: It's quite possible that the headline and the story give completely different details. So, it's a good idea to read the entire story and then form an opinion.
Check for the sources mentioned in the story.
Don't jump to a conclusion after reading the headline.
Check if the story carries any kind of a disclaimer calling it a 'prank' or 'satire'.
These simple steps will go a long way in critically examining a piece of information before you just hit that 'share' button.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
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