Most people judge online info by how it looks—but expert fact-checkers do something totally different. Here’s the skill they use—and how you can learn it too.
Learning lateral reading helps people spot false or biased info more accurately online.Ever found yourself scrolling through a news article, wondering if it’s actually legit—or just cleverly disguised nonsense? You’re not alone.
With so much information online, figuring out what to trust can feel overwhelming. But professional fact-checkers have a trick up their sleeves—and it turns out, it’s not about knowing more, but reading differently.—quickly verifying claims by consulting multiple reputable sources. In contrast, the study found that people who were not professional fact-checkers relied on vertical reading, evaluating websites based on their appearance or content alone. Only looking at information within the article itself made them more susceptible to false information. This study is part of a growingOpen Multiple Tabs: Search for information about the author, publication, or organization. See if they have a history of spreading false or biased information or if they are recognized as credible experts.Look for coverage of the same topic from other reputable sources . You can use this tool as a guide toWebsites like PolitiFact and FactCheck.org can help verify or debunk claims. Cross-checking debunks across different fact-checking sites can further improve accuracy.that helps assess the credibility of a source by identifying its potential biases and underlying values. For example, a news site funded by a political group may framedifferently from a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Knowing this helps you weigh the source's reliability. It’s similar to lateral reading, but focuses on examining factors such as:Does the source correct errors and respond to criticism? Value checking complements lateral reading by ensuring that the sources used for verification are credible and transparent. Together, these techniques help users navigate the online information landscape with greaterof our own ideological biases and maintain a diverse set of social identities to decrease our vulnerability to misinformation. Enhancing media literacy, combined with awareness of our social biases, provides a powerful safeguard against believing false information. Learning to read laterally and evaluate the values behind our sources isn’t just for professional fact-checkers—it’s something all of us can do to better navigate today’s information landscape. These habits aren’t about; they’re about staying curious and careful. With a few intentional strategies, we can become more confident in what we trust, more mindful of our biases, and less likely to be misled. In a world where false claims often outpace the truth, those skills matter—not just for us, but for everyone we inform, influence, and interact with.Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
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