My friend shared a scary post. How do I check if it's real?
You will learn to calmly check a worrying post before you react.
First, take a breath. Scary posts are made to upset you fast.
A post being shared by a friend does not make it true. Even kind people share things by mistake.
Before you react or pass it on, take a moment to check. A few minutes can save a lot of worry.
You can ask ChatGPT to help you think it through. It can point out what to look for.
Try this
- Pause before you share. Give yourself a minute.
- Look for the same news on a trusted site you know.
- Notice if the post has no date or no source.
- Ask ChatGPT to explain how to spot a fake post.
A message you can copy
I saw a post online that worried me. It says: [paste what the post says]. Can you help me figure out what to check before I believe it or share it?
Paste it into ChatGPT, then change the words in brackets to fit you. It opens in a new tab, so you will not lose this page.
Buddy says
If a post tries to scare you fast, slow down and check first.