Scroll Smarter: Puzzled by podcasts?

Sept. 8, 2026

in this issue

Family Q&A | Top story | Bonus reads | Video of the month | Reader poll

What makes a podcast credible?

Question: 

What’s the best way to determine the credibility and accuracy of podcasts? There are so many available, and I find myself on shaky ground in knowing which ones to trust.

— Puzzled by podcasts

Answer: 

This is an important question for families because people of all ages love podcasts! And you’re right: there are lots of them.

Not all podcasts aim to be factual, so obviously questions about credibility and accuracy don’t apply to every podcast. But they do apply to a lot of them, from history podcasts to ones about health, true crime and current events. About a third of Americans say they get news from podcasts, according to Pew Research Center. Podcasts can be an engaging form of storytelling, and it’s never been easier for anyone to make and publish one of their own.

In many ways, podcasts focused on facts and real events are like documentaries and other forms of nonfiction media. They may seem informative, but they vary widely in credibility. Some follow strict editorial guidelines; others are clearly sensational, take liberties with facts and might even push conspiratorial claims, falsehoods or propaganda.

It can be tough to sort through different types of podcasts, but teaching kids to consider primary purpose can be a great place to start. Try asking questions, like: Is this podcast mainly meant to entertain? Is it mostly providing commentary and opinion? Are these opinions supported by strong evidence? Is it a news podcast that includes original reporting? Is it something else?

The rapid rise of AI-generated podcasts can make navigating this crowded landscape even more challenging. But the good news is that there are some common characteristics of credibility to look for. We’ve shared this list before but wanted to share it again because these six signs can help evaluate the credibility of any information source:

• Verification: Is there evidence of a process to check that information is correct?
• Accuracy: Is there demonstrated concern for getting the facts right?
• Independence: Is there an effort to protect content from outside influence?
• Transparency: Is it clear where information is coming from? Are any conflicts of interest disclosed?
• Fairness: Were the major players in the story given a chance to share their perspective? Is there loaded or one-sided language?
• Accountability: Is the content as complete, accurate and impartial as possible? Is there evidence that the source corrects errors? Is it responsive to criticism from its audience?

Whether you’re evaluating a podcast, a documentary, a news broadcast or content from a social media influencer, use these characteristics as a guide for your family. No source of information can ever be perfect, but looking for these qualities can help you decide who and what to trust — or tune into.

➡️ Do you have a question for us? Share it in this form and we may answer it in a future issue. We can address questions about artificial intelligence, social media, journalism, misinformation and more in a family-oriented way.

⭐ You’ll win swag from the News Literacy Project if your question is picked! Questions may be edited or rephrased for clarity and length.

Less scrolling time for teens?

New safety features are coming to teen accounts on Facebook and Instagram over the next six months after parent company Meta recently agreed to a landmark $18 billion settlement over social media addiction.

🥦 AI-generated cartoons: Toddlers who watch Blippi and CoComelon videos about sharing toys and eating vegetables may soon see animation generated by AI tools.

💬 Talk about AI: A good starting point for talking with preschoolers and kindergartners about AI is helping them understand that AI is not human and does not have feelings. See this PBS article for more AI conversation tips.

🤖 Homework with bots: Most American teenagers use AI for schoolwork (68%) and about the same amount (66%) say it helps them understand it, not just finish it faster. However, nearly 40% also say that using AI for schoolwork makes them feel like they’re missing out on learning and conditions them to come up with fewer ideas of their own, according to a Common Sense Media report.

🐈 AI slop of animals: Fake images or videos of animals may seem harmless, but they’re drowning out authentic content — leading to scams and confusion.

🚩 Cartoon censored: A high school newspaper in Nebraska published a student’s political cartoon, but two days later school administrators took it down from the website and the district later established a policy allowing administrators to review and restrict student media before it’s published — a decision that press freedom advocates warn severely undermines students’ First Amendment rights.

Which robot games are AI?

The Humanoid Robot Games are real, but not every video of it is. Check out this video to see if your family can spot which of three videos is AI-generated.

Reader poll

Last month, we asked how often you talk about current issues and events in the news with your kids. Most of you (80%) said every day or a couple of times a week.

👉 Next question: When someone in your family shares or repeats a viral claim from social media, who is most likely to be the first to verify or fact-check it?

⚪ Parents/guardian

⚪ Kid(s)

⚪ Relatives

⚪ Whoever is fastest

We will share poll results in the next Scroll Smarter issue.

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Thanks for reading!

Your monthly issue of Scroll Smarter is created by Susan Minichiello, Peter Adams and Hannah Covington. It is edited by Lourdes Venard.