Software Package: Improve your media literacy expertise

Constructing on Inman’s common e-newsletter for first-year brokers, The Fundamentals, February is New Agent Month. Decide up the instruments, tech and suggestions wanted to outlive and thrive in 2025 as a rookie actual property agent.

Software Package is a recurring column on Inman that pulls collectively sources for brokers who wish to dive deeper on particular topics or group leaders and brokers in search of instructional content material on well timed subjects for trainings.

Woman Scout cookies are poisonous? An Asteroid goes to hit Earth? Actual property brokers can not receives a commission by customers? In the present day’s headlines and social media fodder are greater than attention-grabbers; they can be inaccurate, unsuitable or deceptive. Dangerous data can influence your snacks, your enterprise, and, worse but, your future. Yikes!

Each time you open your telephone, to doom scroll data and promoting is being supplied to you earlier than you possibly can even say, “Wait, is that even true?” And let’s be trustworthy — typically it’s not. With the development of synthetic intelligence, deepfakes and algorithms, one may argue that false data is extra frequent than ever earlier than, which suggests it’s extra necessary than ever to have the ability to inform the true from the pretend. 

Media literacy isn’t only a buzzword; it’s your secret weapon for navigating the chaos of recent information, in addition to the distinction between an knowledgeable professional and a rookie with pretend information.

Whether or not you’re scrolling social media, flipping by means of the newest headlines on Inman, or studying a forwarded article from that one relative who nonetheless thinks Fb is a dependable information supply, this information will aid you confidently inform reality from fiction.

Learn on to study the assorted sorts of articles and uncover find out how to determine respected information media platforms, analysis if a “source” is nice, determine an professional and even fact-check the article you simply learn.

What are you studying? Sorts of articles chances are you’ll be studying

Earlier than we dive into fact-checking instruments and find out how to spot scams, let’s begin with a fast vocabulary lesson. Defining what widespread sorts of articles are will assist you determine if this text is written for you or whether it is written for a special viewers. 

Not all information is created equal, and figuring out the variations can prevent from misinformation whiplash. 

Credible media sources attempt to be unbiased, keep away from favoring one viewpoint over one other, and current data in a balanced approach.

 There are numerous completely different media shops, and each has a special normal, type and algorithm. A superb start line is knowing the commonest article varieties. 

• Onerous information: That is the intense stuff. Onerous information consists of well-sourced, time-sensitive, factual reporting — often by skilled journalists — on the information, akin to politics, world occasions, crime, trade, funds and main developments. Why is difficult information necessary? It’s the way you keep on high of what’s taking place in your world. It supplies credible data on security, financial system and social justice. It’s the spine of journalism — suppose Related Press, The New York Instances, and Reuters.
• Opinion/op-ed: That is simply that: an opinion. A author shares their perspective on a subject, which can or is probably not backed by stable details. A good opinion piece can be well-researched and offered logically. Consider it because the opinion part of a newspaper, editorial weblog posts, or that one neighbor who thinks their tackle world politics needs to be required studying. These items could be insightful however shouldn’t be confused with straight information reporting. You possibly can usually discover these on private blogs as effectively. The place can opinion articles cover? Assume Medium, Substack, Reddit, and different locations the place everyone seems to be soapboxing about one thing. 
• Options: These are instructional or entertaining deep dives or profiles, usually written in a extra narrative type. These articles usually “myth bust” or clarify an advanced topic in (usually, however not all the time in a snack-sized abstract) to assist the viewers acquire consciousness of a selected subject, development or problem. They supply background, context and evaluation however usually are not breaking information. If laborious information is what occurred right this moment, featured information explains why that factor you retain listening to about issues, who’s on all sides of the problem and their factors of view. Options are additionally locations the place you possibly can study some nice methods and self-help strategies to assist enhance your life and enterprise.
• Service: When newspapers have been extra prevalent, this was sometimes called “refrigerator journalism” as a result of these kind of articles are those you may clip out from the paper and save in your fridge for later. Assume how-tos, guides, listicles, timelines, explainers and different much less narrative-focused content material. These tales are crafted that will help you higher your life, whether or not private or skilled. At Inman, our contributors deal with service journalism and opinion items. These tales are sometimes written by consultants who share information, insights and powerful takeaways.
• Sponsored/advertorial content material: Should you’ve ever seen an article that appears like information however subtly (or not so subtly) promotes a product, congratulations! You’ve encountered sponsored or advertorial content material. Sponsored content material isn’t unusual, actually it has continued to realize reputation amongst promoting corporations and is a daily function on even huge information community applications just like the the TODAY present. These items are principally commercials wearing information or service article clothes. What you must know is that they’re paid placements. At all times examine for disclaimers like “Sponsored Content” or “Paid Partnership” earlier than assuming unbiased reporting. Many individuals know to look on serps for notifications of sponsorships, however these could be tougher to determine within the formatting of how articles are offered. Search for notifications on the high and backside of the article.

However it appears to be like so actual! 

Simply because one thing has hundreds of shares doesn’t make it true. Additionally, simply because somebody shared one thing in a non-public Fb group about actual property contracts doesn’t make them your dealer or a lawyer. ( you, random social media conspiracy poster who stirs up all of the drama in teams on-line.) 

How do you confirm that what you’re studying is legit? There are particular issues to examine for, and bear in mind it’s necessary to not be lazy on the subject of ensuring one thing is correct earlier than you unfold it and trigger potential popularity hurt to somebody’s enterprise or private life. 

Test it out

As an train, take a look at this current headline that got here throughout my feed:

“Asteroid’s odds of hitting Earth go up as Webb telescope is tasked with studying potential ‘city-killer’”

Now, let’s undergo the steps of vetting the legitimacy of the piece.

• Supply it: Who printed this? Dependable sources embrace established information organizations with a popularity for fact-checking, akin to NPR, BBC, The New York Instances, or The Wall Avenue Journal. If the article is from “TruthAmericaFirstDaily.biz” — proceed with warning. Sadly, many of those fake media websites attempt to pull actual articles that actual consultants have written and manipulate them to profit their private targets.
• Search for a number of sources: If just one obscure web site is reporting a serious occasion, that’s a purple flag. Actual information will get picked up by a number of shops.
• Confirm the creator: Is the author a journalist or professional on what they’re writing about, or are they only somebody with an web connection and a powerful opinion? A fast Google search can reveal credibility. Earlier than I settle for that somebody is an actual property professional, coach, mentor, guru, video or social media magician, I truly examine to verify they’ve bought a home and try their social media. The proof is usually within the pudding. 
• Verify the date: Previous information will get recycled as new information on a regular basis, notably on social media. That is very true with actual property old-school enterprise observe jargon. Among the information high coaches are yelling at you on social media is many years outdated. Why? As a result of the identical music and dance works more often than not, and only a few folks examine or ask for information to again up what they are saying. They simply take it as reality. Simply because an article goes viral right this moment doesn’t imply it’s current, related or occasion true.
• Look ahead to emotional manipulation: It is a huge purple flag. There’s a distinction between catching your consideration and “click bait”

If a headline is designed to make you offended or scared reasonably than knowledgeable, take a step again. Dependable information informs, not inflames. Additionally, be careful for multilayered pop-ups and different issues that point out that the story may very well be a rip-off and never dependable and knowledgeable information on a reputable web site.

Within the case of the asteroid headline, the story got here from CBS, however studying the knowledge additional, I found that, whereas the information was true, they’d pulled probably the most alarming data from the NASA James Internet Area Telescope examine, and that the probabilities of this taking place in 7-8 years is barely about 2 p.c.

FYI, utilizing the helpful dandy Snopes web site, I used to be in a position to debunk that Woman Scout Cookies are, actually, suitable for eating and which you can proceed to help your favourite cookie seller with out worrying that you’re being poisoned. 

How you can fact-check and acknowledge a pretend

Should you ever really feel such as you’re being bamboozled, these websites could have your again and assist you determine the nice line between reality, fiction and opinion — which is usually more durable than chances are you’ll suppose! 

• Truth-checking web sites: Snopes, FactCheck.org, and OpenSecrets.org assist confirm whether or not one thing is true or simply web rubbish your third cousin shared.
• Bias checker web sites: AllSides and Media Bias/Truth Verify allow you to see the place completely different information sources lean politically, serving to you get a extra balanced view.  Media bias is necessary to know; an ideal instrument or chart to reference is the Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart. This interactive chart exhibits in actual time a scaled-out evaluation of how the media platform presents data to customers. Beneath is what it appeared like on the time this text printed:

The wild west of misinformation: Due to AI and social media

Social media platforms are sizzling and sweaty breeding grounds for misinformation. What’s even worse is that there are such a lot of instruments for each writing, movies, graphics, and so on., that algorithms push partaking content material (learn: usually deceptive), and misinformation spreads quick.

Right here’s find out how to keep forward:

• Everybody has shared it: If one thing is being shared or has gone “viral” at warp velocity, double-check it earlier than believing it.
• Learn the feedback: Typically, I virtually journey working to the feedback, which means that it often isn’t from an excellent supply or it has an excellent likelihood of being pretend. Customers are good, and if it’s not proper, will probably be mentioned within the feedback.
• AI-generated content material: Deepfakes and AI can now simply take over identities, voices and so many different issues. It’s the Wild West, and what you see is usually not true or manipulated. This refined platform is studying at a speedy tempo, and the content material it creates is an increasing number of sensible and human-like. Make certain to double-check that the content material is actual by looking out a number of completely different sources.

Observe the cash, and you’ll find information scams

Faux information isn’t simply deceptive — it may be a rip-off. Hackers know that information and knowledge are nice methods to gather information. Though it was once extra apparent to suss out nefarious intent, now the scams look actual. They will even mimic actual newspapers and different media sources.

Please don’t click on it if:

It appears to be like like clickbait

I as soon as clicked on an article titled, “Julia Roberts’ Daughter Turns 16 And Is Her Replica.” Should you click on by means of the 40-plus slideshow pics (with one million pop-ups), you’ll uncover that Roberts nor her offspring are pictured. Should you search for what her daughter truly appears to be like like, you’ll understand that the 2 photos on the article’s cowl are two photoshopped pics of Roberts reasonably than a photograph of her and her daughter.

That is the right instance of clickbait. If a headline may ship you down a pretend information rabbit gap, it’s most likely clickbait. Celebrities and trending personalities are sometimes used as a result of folks wish to know. The common shopper’s consideration span is between 3-9 seconds, and that’s not a variety of time for media shops to seize your consideration. Writing headlines is an artwork type that’s usually constrained by character depend and a lesson in psychology. Headlines from respected organizations will usually lower to the story’s core however ship on their guarantees.   

It smells like phishing

These are scammy websites that steal your data whenever you click on on them. The names of the information supply could also be off or the e-mail might appear like it’s from Fb. Take a look at the place the article got here from, that could be a good indication.

Looks as if an excellent donation for a tragic story

Some folks love to assist, and many people have seen the facility of a profitable GoFundMe marketing campaign for a household in want. Sadly, after pure disasters, scammers create pretend information tales to get folks to donate to fraudulent causes. At all times make your donations on the host websites to profit the trigger.

Oops, I did it once more: What to do in case you have shared pretend information

Don’t panic. Observe my surefire, “Stop, Drop, and Roll” approach to remain out of sizzling water on-line.

1. Cease: Delete the story from all social media websites you shared it on.
2. Drop: Drop the brand new hyperlink to the suitable story and be sure to confirm it.
3. Roll: Maintain going along with your day, and bear in mind to encourage your self and others to not share misinformation or pretend information.

Misinformation is like glitter — it spreads quick and is difficult to wash up. Don’t hassle arguing with trolls, pals and family members who share misinformation continually. 

Usually, it is vitally tough to separate folks from their love of faux information. As an alternative, you possibly can encourage them with appropriate tales, cover them out of your feeds so that you don’t must see it, and block them from having the ability to remark in your feeds and posts. I name this the “knuckle head clause”; if Uncle Bob can’t say one thing good, then he doesn’t have to say something in any respect with you connected to it.  

Misinformation can mismanage your day and mess up your enterprise

Understanding what you might be studying, why you might be studying it, and why it was written will aid you degree up your “game” by figuring out actual information and actual happenings and the very best sources that will help you learn to be a greater agent, human and neighborhood member.

The media will get a foul rap 99 p.c of the time, however the hard-working journalists who cling to moral journalistic practices maintain leaders accountable, demand transparency, present schooling and consciousness, and share social injustice data. 

The reality is on the market, my pals. It’s as much as you to take the time to do the analysis and discover it.

Rachael Hite is a seasoned housing counselor and thought chief in the true property trade, identified for her in depth experience throughout enterprise information journalism, retirement housing, and reasonably priced housing initiatives. Join with Rachael on Instagram and Linkedin.