In today's world information constantly bombards us from every direction imaginable. With so much information flying around it can be tough to know what to believe and what to ignore. Misinformation is rampant and it's up to each of us to be informed consumers of information. Here's how you can find reliable sources and combat misinformation.

First and foremost consider the source. Anyone can say anything on the internet and unfortunately not everyone is telling the truth. When you come across an article or news story take a look at the website it comes from. Is it a reputable source? Has it been around for awhile or is it a brand new unknown site? If you've never heard of it before do some research to see if it's trustworthy.

Next look for articles that cite their sources. Articles that reference other sources are usually more reliable than ones that simply make claims without any evidence to back them up. If an article doesn't seem to have a source take it with a grain of salt.

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for sharing information but it's also a prime example of where misinformation can run rampant. When you see a headline or article on social media don't just blindly accept it as the truth. Take a moment to read beyond the headline and check the source. If it's a post from a friend or family member double-check the link to make sure it's from a reputable site.

It's also important to be skeptical of articles that seem too good (or too outrageous) to be true. If you're not sure if a story is real do some research to see if other reputable sources are reporting on the same story.

Another thing to be aware of is bias. Every news outlet has its own agenda whether it be political financial or personal. Before you assume a news story is completely unbiased consider the source and its motives. If a website or news outlet seems to have an agenda or an axe to grind take that into account when you read its articles.

Finally don't be afraid to fact-check. If you're not sure if something is true or not do some digging. Sites like Snopes and Factcheck.org are great resources for checking the validity of stories and claims. By taking the time to fact-check you'll be more informed and better equipped to decide what information you can trust.

Conclusion

In the end navigating the age of information requires a bit of extra effort on our part. By considering the source looking for cited sources being skeptical of social media being aware of bias and fact-checking we can be more informed consumers of information. And in a world where everyone has an agenda being informed is more important than ever.