Stay Informed: 5 ways to process and fact check your news

1: Don’t get news from a single source.

While it is easy to pick one agreeable news outlet, the internet has made many sources easily accessible and most issues are posted across multiple sites, so there’s no reason not to corroborate what you read and hear.

2: Set aside biases.

When reading about someone you support, set aside some of your opinions so you can attempt to intake a journalistic, semi-objective article. If you are neutral about the issue, check the author’s biases and take them into consideration.

3: Stay away from single-narrative, sensationalistic, or partisan sites.

Most well-known or credible-leaning outlets publish pieces both against and in favor of certain policies and politicians. Some even stay more neutral than that. If a news source presents a decent degree of neutrality throughout their coverage, personal biases in journalists don’t make as large of a difference in the content, and the information conveyed is most likely trustworthy. Again, however, corroborate the news you intake so that even if reading more editorial or opinionated sources, there is a balance in your media consumption.

4: Click on some hyperlinks.

If you see a linked source on an article, click it! Your interpretation of the author’s original sources may differ from theirs, and you can formulate your own opinions accordingly.

5: Form your own opinions.

This is probably the most important of the 5 tips recommended here. Even though family is the most influential factor in political socialization (how an individual develops their political beliefs), it is more important to read up on root causes and possible solutions to issues, check out non-partisan resources (like CalMatters and campaign finance information), and ask candidates questions to make your own informed endorsements.

*This report was written by Rachel Alcazar, SF NAACP Youth Council President. The Youth Council executive board voted unanimously in agreement.