Overview
As the war unfolds in the Middle East between Israel and the militant Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, news literacy skills can help us find reliable information and sources and push back against harmful and hateful mis- and disinformation. We’ve created this page to help you separate fact from fiction during this international crisis.
You’ll find free resources for educators, students and the public as well as examples of falsehoods that have gone viral, with guidance on how to debunk them and help others do the same. We will refresh the content of this page with relevant information as needed.
As you follow and share news about the war, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Analyze what kind of information you encounter and be cautious about what you share.
Consider what evidence supports viral claims and consult multiple credible sources before liking or sharing social media content. Think about who created the information and what their purpose might be. Dangerous conditions hamper standards-based reporting on the ground during war, and that vacuum is quickly filled by anecdotes, allegations and raw imagery. - Be aware that misinformation often flourishes during breaking news events.
There is a high volume of misinformation online about the Israel-Hamas war, according to media experts. Misleading content — such as video game footage being passed off as war videos — has attracted millions of views on social media. It can be difficult to separate genuine footage and updates from misleading posts. - Seek credible news sources.
Although it’s easy to just rely on a social media algorithm for news updates, seek credible news on your own. Social media algorithms might not show much standard-based news and can create an echo chamber that only reinforces your own views. Credible news sources aspire to ethical guidelines and standards, including accuracy, transparency and independence.
