Engage · Skills

Media literacy: sorting good information from bad

Before you share, argue or show up at a meeting, it's worth knowing whether what you read is true. These habits take a minute and catch most problems.

Before you believe it

Check the source. Who published this? Do they have a track record, and do they correct mistakes? An unfamiliar site that looks like a news outlet might not be one.
Read past the headline. Headlines are written to get clicks and often overstate what the story says.
Look for the original. If a post cites a study, a law or a quote, find the original. Bills, agendas, budgets and court records are usually public.
Check the date. Old stories get reshared as if they were new.
See who else is reporting it. If a big claim appears in only one place, wait.

Watch for these

Strong emotion. Content built to make you angry or afraid spreads fastest. That's a cue to slow down.
Edited or fake images and video, including AI-generated ones. Look for odd details, and search for the image to see where it first appeared.
Missing context. A real clip or number can mislead when it's cut short.
Bill summaries from advocates. Groups on every side score and summarize Idaho bills. Read the bill's own text before you trust anyone's description of it.

Local news matters

Local reporters cover city councils, school boards and county decisions that national outlets never will. Many Idaho towns have lost their daily paper. Supporting the local news you still have, and reading it, is one of the easiest ways to stay informed about decisions close to home.

Go to the source on government

For local and state decisions, the primary sources are usually online: meeting agendas and recordings, the Legislature's bill pages and live video, and agency reports. The calendar links to each meeting's official page. For elections, your county clerk and VoteIdaho.gov are the official word on dates, polling places and results.

Sources

Last reviewed November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the linked sources before you rely on a deadline.