"Changes to the media over the past few decades have brought many distressing trends. Social media tend to reward emotional manipulation over truth-telling. News outlets, even well respected ones, rush to publish rumors and poorly substantiated claims. The fragmentation of news into ideological islands and search engines’ tendency to cater to our preferences have helped to polarize viewpoints.
But while we’re arguably awash in more misinformation than ever before, online media have also enabled tools and sources that help us evaluate dubious claims. I recently spoke at the Skeptic’s Toolbox, the annual skeptical workshop in Eugene, OR, about the variety of fact-checking tools available. It was less a lecture than a conversation, as the participants provided many of their own suggestions. While we can’t pretend to be comprehensive, our combined lists should provide a good starting point for your fact-checking needs."