In a democracy, citizens make decisions on who or what to vote for. Making the right decisions means getting the facts and understanding what is going on. The best way to do that is to learn to be a media-savvy news consumer. Whether you get your news and information from newspapers, television or online, you and the rest of us are being blitzed by a dizzying barrage of information. The media are full of facts, accurate stories, false claims masquerading as facts, thoughtful opinions, thoughtless opinions and way too many just plain lies. Throw in fake videos and voices manufactured by artificial intelligence and we are deep in a media jungle. Being able to sort out facts from fiction, lies from truth and what chatter we should take seriously in this jungle is a skill we all need in a democracy. Being media-savvy requires critical thinking, a fair degree of skepticism and some knowledge of how media operates. Here are some essential tips to help you become a more discerning and informed consumer of information.

To begin, question the source of what you are reading or viewing. Before accepting any piece of information as truth, consider where it originated and who is responsible for it. Is it from a reputable news organization with a track record of accurate reporting, a news organization with an unstated but strong bias, an anonymous social media account or somebody with an axe to grind or simply a prejudice? Look for transparency and credibility. Does the source state its mission, funding and editorial policies? Does it have a staff of reputable journalists? Be wary of websites or other sources that lack this information or claim to be neutral when they are not. If you really want to be thorough, find out if other credible sources are saying the same thing. Next, distinguish between fact and opinion. Reputable journalists present facts and describe events accurately. Less than reputable journalists hide their opinions and editorializing behind so-called facts. Editorials and opinion pieces should be labeled as such. Because these lines are often blurred, media-savvy news consumers need to be on the lookout for loaded language, selective reporting, emotional appeals and generalizations that are not backed up by evidence. Pay attention to how a story is framed and whether it is reported in a way that favors one aspect of it and glosses over or even ignores other things surrounding that event or news story.

Another good tip is to be aware of your own biases. We all have preconceived notions and beliefs that act as filters to influence how we interpret information. Acknowledge these biases and keep an open mind about information that challenges your existing views. Be open to different but reputable perspectives. Stay away from echo-chambers that make us feel good by confirming our biases but only expose us to information that confirms what we already believe. This is precisely what algorithms on social media do. They show you more of what you already engage with.

Savvy media consumers also understand sensationalism and clickbait. In the race for attention, many media outlets, social media sites and unscrupulous salespeople use sensational headlines and emotionally charged language to attract clicks. Don't bite on that bait. Engagement is not the same thing as accuracy. Don't just read headlines and think you have the facts. Read the whole full article and see if the headline is merited. One of the toughest things to do for even those who try hard to be media savvy is to verify images and videos. In the age of deepfakes and readily available AI-assisted video software, visual media are not always what they seem. Before sharing an image or video, consider its origin and context. Tools like reverse image search can help you determine if an image has been used before or if it's been altered. Look for inconsistencies, unnatural movements, or blurry areas that might indicate manipulation. If something seems too perfect or too shocking, it's worth a second look. Even the best of us can be fooled.

Finally, contribute wisely and carefully. Think before you share what might turn out to be a fake as a fact or share an opinion as truth to those in your personal media orbit. Don't add dangerous chatter to the media jungle. Spreading misinformation, even unintentionally, is wrong and can even have legal consequences as well as erode your credibility.