How to Spot Election Misinformation Before You Share It

The people spreading misinformation are counting on one thing: that you'll share before you check. The good news is that a quick habit stops most of it — and it works no matter your politics.

The red flags

Be suspicious when a post:

• Makes you furious or gleeful instantly. Content engineered to go viral targets your emotions first, because angry people share without checking.
• Is a screenshot with no link. Screenshots are easy to fake or strip of context. Find the original.
• Cites no source, or a source you've never heard of. "People are saying" is not a source.
• Demands urgency. "Share before it's deleted!" is a pressure tactic.
• Sounds too perfect — exactly the thing your side wants to be true about the other side. That's precisely when to slow down.

The 30-second check (SIFT)

Media-literacy researchers teach a simple routine:

1. Stop. Don't share yet. Notice your reaction.
2. Investigate the source. Who's behind it? Open a new tab and search the outlet or account. A five-second search often reveals a satire site, a partisan blog, or a fake account.
3. Find better coverage. Search the claim itself. If it's real and important, credible outlets (AP, Reuters, your local paper) will have it. If only fringe sites carry it, that's a signal.
4. Trace it to the original. Follow quotes, images, and stats back to where they started. Context is usually missing on purpose.

Tools that take seconds

• Fact-checkers: PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, AP Fact Check, and Snopes. Search the claim before you post.
• Reverse image search (Google Lens or TinEye) to see where a photo really came from — old photos are constantly recycled as "breaking news."
• AllSides to see how left, center, and right are covering the same story.

See our full trusted-sources guide for the complete list.

The voting lies to watch for hardest

Election misinformation is often aimed at stopping you from voting. Treat these as false until confirmed at an official source:

• Wrong dates or "you can vote by text/online." You cannot vote by text. Confirm how, when, and where at vote.gov or your state's official site.
• "Your polling place moved" / "you need documents you don't." Verify with your county election office.
• Intimidation or claims that voting is pointless in your area. If you hit a problem, call the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) — Spanish and other languages available.

Before you share, ask one question

"Am I sure this is true, or do I just want it to be?" If you can't answer the first part, don't share it. Being the person who doesn't spread the fake thing is its own quiet public service.