What is the SIFT method for verifying information?

SIFT stands for: Stop (pause before reacting emotionally), Investigate the source (who is behind this information?), Find better coverage (look for trusted reporting on the same topic), and Trace claims back to their original context. This method, developed by digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield, is highly effective against misinformation.

How do I verify a viral social media claim?

Use these steps: 1) Check if reputable news outlets have reported on it. 2) Use reverse image search to find the original context of photos. 3) Verify the account that posted it — check when it was created and its history. 4) If the claim comes from a video or podcast, paste the link into BSmeter for a per-claim credibility score and evidence sources on the weakest claim (the 3 weakest on Basic and Premium) (it doesn't analyze text posts or images). 5) Wait before sharing — misinformation peaks within the first few hours.

How to Verify Online Information

A practical guide to distinguishing fact from fiction online. These techniques are used daily by professional fact-checkers and journalists to verify everything from viral videos to breaking news. Most methods take between 30 seconds and a few minutes. And for a video, you can paste a YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reel, or podcast link into BSmeter to transcribe it, pull out the main claims, score each one, and get sources for the weakest claim (the 3 weakest on Basic and Premium).

What you get

Reverse Image Search: Before trusting a viral image, check if it is authentic or AI-generated. Take a screenshot and search Google Images or TinEye to find the original source — many viral images are repurposed from unrelated events or generated entirely by AI. Look for telltale AI artifacts like extra or missing fingers, garbled text, or unnatural lighting (newer generators avoid many of these), and check for Content Credentials where available. BSmeter doesn't do this for you — it checks the claims in videos, not whether an image or frame is real.
Lateral Reading: The single most effective verification technique used by professional fact-checkers. Instead of staying on one website and evaluating it in isolation, open new tabs and search for what other sources say about the same claim or organization. The credibility of a source is determined not by its own website design, but by what other trusted sources say about it.
Source Tracing: Every claim in a video or article should be traceable to an original source. Misinformation often cites other sources that are themselves recycling unverified claims. Follow the citation chain all the way back — if a video cites an article that cites a tweet that cites 'someone said,' the chain is broken and the claim is misleading.
Check the Checker: Trusted fact-checking organizations like Snopes, PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, and Reuters Fact Check have already investigated thousands of claims. Before spending time verifying something yourself, search these databases. If the claim has already been debunked by multiple independent fact-checkers, you have your answer instantly.
Context Verification: Out-of-context clips are one of the most common forms of video misinformation. A 5-second clip from a 2-hour speech can completely reverse the speaker's meaning, and misinformation often resurfaces years-old footage with updated captions. Always seek the full context before accepting a viral clip as evidence. BSmeter ties each claim it identifies to its timestamp and can flag Missing Context, but it only sees the clip you paste, so find the full original yourself.
SIFT Method: Developed by digital literacy researcher Mike Caulfield, the SIFT method is a four-step framework for evaluating online information: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims to the original context. It is designed to take 30-60 seconds per piece of content, making it practical for everyday social media consumption.