It is important to note that the current age of informational abundance resulted in a problem of disinformation, which is an intentional attempt to obscure the truth. Therefore, every individual is in a position where he or she is obligated to be critical of new information, including media, by analyzing its credibility. Even if a media source did not seek to push a specific agenda and obscure the truth intentionally, mistakes and errors could happen when trying to deliver information. Thus, people should question the credibility of the information that is presented to them from media sources. The key reason is rooted in the fact that many media sources have a certain bias or agenda behind their information delivery function, which can be political, social, and financial. One occurrence can be presented in different lights by using differential perspectives and emphasis on specific details. This necessitates a person to always question the credibility to form fair and objective judgments and understanding.
Some ways to assess a source’s credibility and the accuracy of information include answering the questions of who and how. It is important to ask oneself about who is delivering the provided information and who are the actors, beneficiaries, or victims of a specific occurrence. Knowing the key agents and drivers of some events provides structural integrity to the narrative devoid of bias. In addition, one should be knowledgeable about how a specific event took place by searching for as many details as possible because truth and reality are often nuanced and complex. The details reveal a more objective aspect of the occurrence, which prevents one from painting something as ‘black and white,’ which is rarely the case since the world is not simplistic.