One Link Isn’t Enough, Detectives

Let’s face it—we’re drowning in information. Every day we scroll past headlines, tweets, TikTok videos, and posts from that one Facebook friend who always knows just enough to stir the pot. And sometimes, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s a dumpster fire of misinformation.

Enter Verified by Mike Caulfield and Sam Wineburg, the internet’s very own life vest in the sea of chaos. In Chapters 4 and 5, Caulfield and Wineburg drop some major knowledge on how we can stop being fooled by bad info and start becoming pros at fact-checking.

If there’s one thing Verified wants you to stop doing, it’s trusting everything you read without questioning it. In Chapter 4, we learn about the magical power of lateral reading, which sounds fancy but is really just common sense: don’t settle for the first thing you read. Imagine you’re shopping for a new phone—you wouldn’t click on the first ad you see and buy it without checking reviews, right? Same deal here.

Instead of getting stuck on one website or headline, go wide. See what other sources have to say about the same topic. If only one sketchy site claims that “drinking glitter-infused water cures all illnesses,” and everyone else is like, “Hey, that’s not a thing,” you’ve just dodged a glittery bullet. So before you hit that share button, see what the experts (and not just your cousin’s blog) are saying.

So now you’re checking multiple sources like a pro. What’s next? Chapter 5 comes in hot with the question, “What’s the evidence?” In other words, even if you’ve got a bunch of sources agreeing on something, you’ve still gotta ask: Is this backed by solid proof, or are people just vibing with the same bad info?

Caulfield and Wineburg give us a crash course in spotting real evidence versus cleverly disguised nonsense. Think of it like detective work. You wouldn’t accuse someone of a crime because three people on Reddit said so. You’d need proof. Same goes for claims you see online. Are there actual studies involved? Is the data cherry-picked? Are the experts really experts, or are they just wearing glasses to look smart?

One cool tip from this chapter: always look for original sources. It’s like playing detective when your favorite news site says, “Studies show…” but doesn’t tell you which studies. You gotta dig deeper to see if the research actually exists, or if they’re just bluffing.

Caulfield and Wineburg are basically telling us: You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but you do need to know how to figure out who’s trustworthy and what’s legit. The world is full of clever headlines, clickbait, and memes that look convincing but crumble under real scrutiny.

The key lessons here? Don’t trust just one source, and always ask, “Where’s the proof?” Whether you’re trying to figure out if a viral tweet is real or if a headline is just another case of overhyped news, Verified arms you with the skills to stay sharp.

So, the next time you see someone share an outrageous claim online, you’ll have the tools to say, “Hold up—let’s check the evidence,” and maybe even save them from some internet embarrassment. (Or maybe not, because, hey, some people just love the drama.)